Ginny and the muggles
by brigrove
Summary: Follows on from An Unexpected Letter. Harry and the others had been shocked to find out that someone had put their story into the mind of a muggle author who had published them. But as they returned to Hogwarts, Hermione had other worries...
1. Chapter 1

**Ginny and the muggles**

**Author's note:- This follows on directly from my short two-part story Unexpected Letter **

**It is set just after the main story of Deathly Hallows (not the epilogue).**

**BETA welcome. (I probably don't need help with Britishisms as I am English.)**

**RECAP**

**Having discovered that Dumbledore had prevented her from wiping her parents' memories, Hermione and Ron travelled to Australia to meet her parents. There they were shocked to find out that someone had put their story into the mind of a muggle author who had published six books, five of which had been made into films. Luckily the muggles thought they were just fairy tales.**

**But as they prepared to return to Hogwarts for their final year, Hermione has more immediate worries...**

**"Where's Harry?" asked Hermione a few minutes after she had appeared in the Weasley's living room by floo.**

**"Not coming," said Ron. "Says he's already got all his books."**

**"I'd hoped to see him."  
"Fat chance. He's hardly come out of that house since he got there and he hasn't let anyone visit him."**

**"This isn't good, Ron."**

**"You think I don't know that? What with Harry refusing to have anything to do with us and Ginny being quiet, Mum's worried out of her mind."**

**"Ginny quiet? That is worrying."**

**"I'm being serious, Hermione."**

**"So am I. I can't imagine your sister being quiet for this long."**

**"Yeah. The last time she was this quiet was when she first had a crush on Harry and went all shy every time he was around. Then it was quite funny, but now if we mention his name, she just shouts at us to shut up. I think Mum does it deliberately sometimes, just to break the awful silence. She won't even say what's wrong. Even George is coping better with Fred's death than she is."**

**"George still keeping you busy at the store?"**

**"Yeah. He says if I don't make it as an auror, he'll make me a partner. I think it's only that he wants a brother around."**

**"You didn't miss me then?" asked Hermione. At first it seemed to Ron that she was teasing him, but beneath her grin was a serious look in her eyes.**

**"You know I did. A whole week without you to remind me to study? It was almost a holiday even if I wasn't the one sunning myself in Spain."**

**"My parents needed that week with just us three," she explained. "I think I panicked them sometimes though."**

**"The nightmares?"**

**Hermione nodded. "Not every night now. But it takes me longer to put them out of my mind when you're not there to hold me. And they seem to be getting worse when I do have them."**

**"What do you mean?"**

**"Before it was just Belatrix putting me under the cruciatus curse."**

**"As if that wasn't bad enough," Ron interrupted.**

**"Now, in with the pain, I see things. Mum and Dad being killed... and Harry and your family... and you. I... I lost you, Ron." **

**Ron saw she was actually going pale just at the memory and pulled her into his arms. "It's over. You're never going to lose me. I'm staying right with you as long as you want me."**

**Hermione picked up on the hesitation in his tone. "What do you mean? As long as I want you?"**

**"I know I'm not much. Hardly the hero everyone calls me. I was just there while you and Harry figured it all out. Hell, I don't even get nightmares."**

**"What do you mean?"**

**"Well, there's Harry, a total wreck from Post-whatever-you-call-it. And Ginny's not much better. You have all these nightmares, and for me it's like it never happened. I sleep normally, eat normally. I guess there's some advantage having the emotional range of a teaspoon," he finished bitterly.**

**"I shouldn't have said that," Hermione admitted. "I don't know what I'd have done without you this summer. Even when you didn't say anything, you were just there for me."**

**"I'd have your nightmares for you if I could," he replied.**

**"I know. You're sweeter than you realise."**

**"Thanks. Just don't tell the... George, okay?" Like all the Weasley family, Ron still had to stop himself referring to "the twins" as if Fred were still alive.**

**"Okay. I'll keep it a secret how great you are. Oh, Ron, how am I going to manage without you?"**

**"Without me?" he asked, startled.**

**"At Hogwarts. If I have a nightmare at night? I mean, you can't come running over to the girls' dorm."**

**"I will if I have to."**

**"And get expelled? You'd never get past the spells anyway."**

**"You have to tell someone about the nightmares, or you'll freak them out. They are pretty scary, even to watch you."**

**They were interrupted as Mrs. Weasley walked into the living room. "Ah, good, you're here," she said. "GINNY! Come on. We're leaving."**

**Half a minute later, a sullen looking Ginny walked in. Hermione looked at her friend and couldn't keep the shock from her face. Ginny was painfully thin, and although she'd always been pale, now she looked as if the colour had been washed out of her. But it was the dull disinterested look in her eyes that shocked Hermione the most. Even in the worst times, she'd never seen Ginny look like that.**

**"Hi, Ginny," said Hermione.**

**"Huh? Oh, Hi."**

**For once Hermione didn't want to spend more time than necessary on shopping for Hogwarts. She thought she had been bad at times after the final battle, but Ginny was obviously just shutting everyone out.**

**"Ron," she said afterwards, "you told me Ginny was quiet, but that's... it's like she's not even there."**

**"I know. She's not Ginny any more. Neville and Dad told me that at Hogwarts, and even later, when she had to go into hiding, she was fine, determined, always able to cheer them up. But since the battle nobody can reach her. She won't even see Harry, which is just as well as he's avoiding her even more than he avoids the rest of us."**

**He knew he sounded slightly angry at that.**

**After a painfully silent meal, Mrs. Weasley surprised them both. "I've put your bags in Ron's room. I know you'll want to share a room."**

**Hermione just looked stunned. Ron was just as surprised, then made light of it by pulling out his wand... "Who are you and what have you done with my mum?"**

**Mrs. Weasley looked at Hermione. "Your parents told me what it's been like for you. If Ron can help you sleep..." She turned to Ron, "But you're sleeping on the floor, and no funny stuff." They could see tears beginning to form in her eyes and she turned and walked away quickly.**

**"She doesn't want to risk you getting like Ginny," Ron said flatly.**

**The journey to Hogwarts was uneventful. Ginny sat with Neville and Luna and Harry joined Ron and Hermione. Neither said much during the journey and everyone was glad when it was over.**

**At the station quite a few were looking at the Thestrals, the first time they'd seen them.**

**The sorting went quickly even though the hat still showed burn marks. There weren't many first years to sort. Obviously parents were still nervous of sending their children to Hogwarts.**

**Professor McGonagall stood up to speak. "Thank you all for returning for another year, and welcome to our newcomers. I'm sure you will make them all feel at home. I remind the first years, AND the rest of you that the forbidden forest is till forbidden. Let me give a special welcome to those of you who should have started last year but were unable to do so because you are muggle-born. I hope your time with us will prove well worth the wait.**

**"But I want to say a brief word to those older students who have returned. We look around us and we see many spaces. Some should have been occupied by those who gave their lives that this school could survive. Many others are empty because those who should have filled them could not face returning here again. Many from Slytheryn felt wrongly that they would not be welcome. To those of you brave enough to return, I ask you to be kind to one another, whatever their house. I know from many letters from parents that many of you are struggling with what has happened. Being here might show you that you are not alone. And I don't believe that I am breaking any confidences by sharing that many of the staff have also had a difficult time coming to terms with the last year, myself included. I would encourage you to talk to one another, share how you are feeling without embarrassment. It's okay to talk about those who cannot be here. While we remember them, they still live among us. As we rebuild this school, as we continue it's work, we honour their sacrifice and their memory."**

**After a few weeks Ron and Hermione gave up trying to get Harry to accept their company. As Ron finally put it, "I know you don't want us right now, but we're here when you need us, okay mate?" Harry didn't reply except with a brief nod.**

**Ginny wasn't much better, except in practices for Quidditch, which Ron often watched. "I love watching her fly," he said when Hermione joined him one day. "When she's flying, she's almost like she used to be, you know?"**

**Hermione was surprised that her nightmares became much less frequent although they were just as bad when she did have them. But she wasn't the only one in her dorm to have nightmares and they quickly learned to comfort one another.**

**Around Christmas Ginny surprised them all by going away for a couple of days on her own, and wouldn't say where she was going. Not even Mrs. Weasley could get it out of her. But she returned looking happier than they'd seen her for a while.**

**Just after the New Year she announced, "I'm not going back to school."**

**"And what do you think you're going to do instead?"**

**"Play quidditch."**

**"That's not a career."**

**"It can be. I've already been accepted. I had my trial before Christmas, so don't even try to stop me, Mum. You're looking at the new reserve chaser for the Holyhead Harpies."**

**"Wow, Ginny," said Ron, excitedly.**

**"You are not giving up your education to play quidditch," said Mrs. Weasley.**

**Ginny looked angrily at her mother.**

**"Mum, don't even try to stop her," said Ron. Everyone looked at him with surprise. "You haven't seen her this term. When she gets on a broom, it's... it's almost like getting the old Ginny back."**

**Mrs. Weasley bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment, but the expected explosion never came. "When do you start, Ginny?"**

**Instead of answering Ginny got up and ran across the room to hug her mother. "Thanks, Mum."**

**The rest of the year went without incident. Ginny surpassed expectations and quickly found a regular place in the team.**

**Harry actually allowed Hermione to help him revise, but the rest of the time he wandered off alone.**

**When their results came, Hermione was pleased that all three of them had done well.**

**The same week their results came out Hermione turned up at the burrow with a handful of books. "It's the final Harry Potter book," she explained.**

**"Great," muttered Ron, "Now everyone knows how I went and left you both."**

**"And how you came back, saved Harry's life, got the sword, destroyed the horcrux and also warned us not to use Voldemort's name."**

**"Hmm. You've already read it, I suppose?"**

**"Last night. Ron. Why didn't you tell me how you felt? I never wanted to make you jealous of Harry. I love Harry, but not like that. Not like you. Anyway, according to Rowling we're supposed to marry. So are Ginny and Harry."**

**"Fat chance with those two."**

**A week after that Ron returned from his day's training to see Hermione. "I can't believe they'd do it to him! It's just not fair. Surely you can see that?"**

**"If you tell me what they've done, I might be able to answer you," Hermione replied.**

**"They've only taken him out of training for a while to work undercover where they're filming the last Harry Potter film. I tried to argue, but they said he still wasn't up to a proper mission."**

**"And is he?"**

**Ron thought for a moment, feeling like he was betraying his friend. "No," he admitted.**

**"Perhaps this will help him begin to come to terms with everything," she said. "but why do they want someone there?"**

**"Something suspicious, though I can't see what's wrong. Apparently they are filming everything in the order it happened. What's wrong with that?"**

**"That's not how they make a film," Hermione explained. "They film scenes out of sequence however it is most convenient to film them."**

**"Oh. But why does it matter?"**

**"I guess they want to know why they are suddenly doing things totally differently to normal filming," suggested Hermione. "It is suspicious."**

**It was Christmas time again and another Christmas without Harry who had chosen to spend it alone again. **

**"Have you heard from him?" asked Mrs. Weasley.**

**"Not directly. They're getting worried at the office though."**

**"About Harry?"**

**"No. There's been a lot of unexplained accidents. Nothing major. And nothing they can put their finger on. A few people ended up in hospital and a lot of the extras have left after an explosion. They even had to change the guy in charge, the director. Everyone's sure something's up, but nobody knows what. But they are worried. Harry nearly got hurt in one of the accidents, but they think that was just chance."**

**Ginny looked up at that. "So when does filming restart?" she asked.**

**A few weeks later, after following Hermione's advice, Ginny was in a queue of young actors and actresses applying for a job as an extra. Ron had thought she was crazy to leave the Harpies, but Hermione had quickly shut him up.**

**The ministry were so glad of the chance to get another pair of eyes on set that they had even given her permission to use magic if necessary to get the job.**

**As it happens she didn't need it. She was in the queue when a girl came up to her and said, "Hi, I'm Evanna Lynch. I play Luna Lovegood." Then she wandered off before Ginny could reply.**

**She came back a few minutes later with a man. "This is Bob Trent. He's one of the A.D.s. Bob, this is Ginny."**

**"Yes, you're right. She'll make a perfect Ginny stand-in. What's your name, love?"**

**"I told you," said Evanna, "it's Ginny."**

**"Ginny what?"**

**"Er, Western," said Ginny quickly. "Ginny Western."**

**"Come with me, Ginny Western."**

**As they walked he explained that the previous stand-in for Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny in the films, had been one of those injured in the explosion. "Do you think you can do it? You won't been seen on film much, but you'll be used for lighting and measurements and stuff and setting up scenes."**

**"Er, okay."**

**After being "approved" by the director responsible for replacement casting, Ginny was taken to meet Bonnie. She was sitting with Evanna, both were eating.**

**"Hi, Ginny, you got the job then?" said Evanna.**

**"Yes, thanks."**

**"Wow," said Bonnie. "Evanna was right, you do look like me. Have you done much acting?"**

**"No," Ginny admitted. "But I won't need to, will I?"**

**"You shouldn't do. But it always help to know about things. But I didn't know much when I started. Everyone's great here. They'll help you with anything you need. Well, grab some food from over there and come and sit down with us."**

**"Is that okay? I mean, you're stars and I'm just..."**

**Bonnie laughed. "We're all just part of the gang here. Don't worry. Get some food before it's all gone."**

**No chance of that, though Ginny. If Mrs. Weasley had been doing the catering she couldn't have made more than they had provided.**

**When she got back to the table, they were going over scripts for the next day's shooting.**

**"I'm sure this isn't the same as before," Bonnie was saying. **

**"What's different this time?" asked Evanna.**

**"I don't know. But I'm sure it's been changed, but I can't remember exactly."**

**"We think someone's changing things," explained Evanna. "Just little things, but we don't know why. And nobody is sure and we can't quite remember what they were like before the new director took over."**

**"Perhaps we're imagining things," sighed Bonnie. "I mean, how could anyone change ALL the copies of the scripts anyway?" Turning to Ginny she said, "You've read the books? I'm not in this one so much."**

**"She knows it better than you do," said Evanna.**

**Bonnie just looked puzzled.**

**After their meal, Evanna offered to show her to where she'd be sleeping.**

**"How did you know my name?" Ginny asked her quietly.**

**"It's all true, isn't it?"**

**"Sorry?"**

**"It's all true. The books. And you really are Ginny."**

**Uncertain what to answer, she replied, "I am Ginny Western, but I still don't understand how you knew my name."**

**"I don't know, Ginny Weasley. I just knew. Is Harry here too?"**

**Ginny was too stunned to reply.**

**"We all know something's going on, but we don't know what. I told them you were an old friend, so you're sharing with me. That way I can keep you in the middle of things, so you can find out."**

**"Er, okay. Thanks."**

**"You're welcome. I'm sorry about Fred. He sounds like he was fun."**

**One of the few things that could make Ginny want to cry was thinking about Fred.**

**"I didn't meant to upset you."**

**"It's okay."**

**When they were both in bed, Ginny called out, "Evanna?"**

**"Yes?"**

**"You were right. Fred was fun."**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ginny and the muggles, chapter two. **

**Author's note:- I still don't have a BETA and one would be welcome. (I probably don't need help with Britishisms as I am English.)**

**RECAP**

**Strange things are happening on the film set for Harry Potter. Harry has been sent undercover to keep and eye on things. Unknown to him, Ginny has left the Hollyhead Harpies to also investigate what is happening.**

**Ginny woke up uncertain what to say to Evanna after their conversation of the night before. She felt that she ought to bring it up, but didn't know how. As it happened, she didn't have to.**

**"You're really lucky, you know?" began Evanna in a dreamier-than-usual voice.**

**"Why?"**

**"When book six came out, I was in a queue with everyone else. I had 'I love Harry Potter' written all over my face and arms. I even named my cat Crookshanks I was so obsessed with Harry Potter. And you actually get to be with him."**

**"Don't believe everything you read," answered Ginny bitterly.**

**"What do you mean?"**

**"Harry and I haven't spoken since... since the battle."**

**"Not spoken? Not at all?"**

**"Not one word. I let him down you see."**

**"So why did they assign you here together?"**

**"Nobody assigned me here. I was playing professional quidditch and I came on my own. I heard things were happening and I didn't want him here on his own. I don't even know what his cover is or anything."**

**"You still love him," said Evanna. It wasn't a question.**

**Ginny nodded. "I know he doesn't want me any more since I let him down, but if he's in danger..."**

**"What makes you think you let him down?"**

**"I should have gone with him. I should have insisted."**

**"You couldn't have gone with them anyway. You'd have got them caught in no time."**

**"What do you mean?" retorted Ginny angrily. "I can hide better than any of them."**

**"You were underage. You still had the trace, didn't you?"**

**Ginny felt as stunned as she looked. "I never even thought about that," she admitted. **

**"The moment any of them did magic near you, the trace would have told the ministry where you all were," Evana pointed out quietly.**

**Ginny sighed, partly out of relief. "I still wish I'd done more at Hogwarts though. After all, Neville stayed there. Maybe if I'd stayed, Harry would still want me."**

**"Have you even read the last book?" asked Evanna.**

**"No. I just couldn't. I know what happens though."**

**"You know that Harry used to unfold the Marauder's map every night, just so he could watch your dot at Hogwarts and know you were okay?"**

**"He did?"**

**Evanna nodded. "He loved you so much. Even when he let Voldemort kill him, his last thought was of you kissing him."**

**Ginny felt like all the breath had been sucked from her body. The sudden knowledge that Harry had thought of HER, Ginny, as what would have been his last thought was simply overwhelming. She had to sit down again, determined not to cry.**

**"I wish I could play quidditch," said Evanna, changing the subject so suddenly that Ginny couldn't help laughing.**

**"I said when I saw the fifth film, you were just like Luna. She has this habit of suddenly saying something which makes things clear, which nobody else would think to say, and then change the subject to something else, totally irrelevant. I think you're more determined though."**

**Evanna laughed. "You have to be to get a part in these films."**

**"So do you know where Harry is?" Ginny asked. "No, of course you don't, you asked me last night."**

**"Job number one, then. Find Harry," said Evanna. "How can you watch his back if you don't know where it is?"**

**"Evanna, thanks. But you know you can't say anything to anyone, right?"**

**"I know. I'm not really Luna, you know."**

**The two girls giggled.**

**The filming up to that point had hardly got anywhere, with so many interruptions for minor and not-so-minor accidents. Now it began to move on a-pace. But as the days passed, the two girls were no nearer finding Harry than they had been to start.**

**"We've checked everyone, from the extras, to the crew, even the security guards. Are you sure he came?" Evanna finally asked Ginny one day.**

**"Yes. Would you recognise him from the photo I showed you?"**

**"I think I'd know anyway," Evanna answered simply. "Just like I knew who you were. And you've checked everyone as well, and you'd know him easily, no matter what his disguise. So he can't be here. We've seen everyone there is to see."**

**Ginny grinned suddenly. "Thanks, Evanna. You've given me the answer again."**

**"I have?"**

**Ginny nodded. "We've seen everyone there is to SEE, right? He must be..."**

**"Using the invisibility cloak," they finished together.**

**"So how can you find him?" asked Evanna.**

**"I can't. Unless he bumps into us. But thanks to you, I'm in the midst of everything. If something happens and he has to do anything, I'll be right there."**

**But nothing did happen to break Harry's cover, or Ginny's, until they were filming Harry's birthday. Ginny was standing in "her bedroom" on the set for the Burrow, while men and women took measurements and lighting all around her.**

**Then Bonnie came on and Ginny couldn't help snorting as she thought that she, the real Ginny, never looked that good.**

**As she watched the filming too many memories came flooding back. When Bonnie was kissing Daniel, her usual composure seemed to desert her. She startled everyone by a loud moan and bursting into tears crying out, "Oh, Harry," before fainting.**

**She came around muttering something like "Harry, please kiss me again," then realised where she was. "I'm alright," she said angrily, pushing everyone away who had gathered around her. Seeing a stunned Bonnie watching her, Ginny got up and ran away to the room she shared with Evanna.**

**When Evanna found her a while later, Ginny had washed her face and seemed okay.**

**"You okay?"**

**Ginny was too embarrassed to answer. She couldn't believe she'd just done that.**

**"Apart from feeling mortified, that is," Evanna asked, understanding as usual. "Are you okay?"**

**"Yeah," Ginny said uncertainly. "It's just. That was our last kiss, you know. And the last time we really talked. I miss him so much. If my brothers knew I'd fainted..."**

**Evanna grinned. "Well you certainly made an impression. You should have seen Bonnie. She wanted to come running after you, but they wanted to finish the scene."**

**"Did they?"**

**"Did they what?"**

**"Finish the scene."**

**"Yeah. So you won't have to see it again."**

**"Good."**

**"You might have some explaining to do though. I don't think anyone else will say anything, but Bonnie will, I just know it."**

**"Do you think she suspects?"**

**"I don't think so. She probably thinks you're weird. Nice, but weird. I think she's coming over later, so be warned."**

**"Thanks. I think."**

**"There were a few others asking about you though, where you came from an' stuff. I got away before they could ask me."**

**Bonnie did come over later, a not unusual occurrence as she and Evanna were good friends.**

**She obviously decided not to embarrass Ginny, and after asking if she was okay, she said nothing else.**

**They were comfortably watching television when Bonnie sniffed the air. "What's that smell?"**

**As Evanna was answering "Smells like petrol," the whole area outside their room burst into flames.**

**Bonnie ran to a window, but was beaten back by the flames. Evanna checked the door but the handle was already hot.**

**"Grab my left hand, both of you," cried Ginny.**

**"What?" asked Bonnie.**

**"Just do as she says," Evanna shouted at her, as she grabbed Ginny's hand.**

**The moment Bonnie grabbed Ginny's hand as well, Ginny closed her eyes and felt the familiar sensation of apparition.**

**Bonnie was stunned to find herself in a garden. Evanna just grinned wildly, then said, "I feel sick."**

**"Side-along apparition often makes you feel like that," said Ginny. "Mum'll have something for it. MUM!" she called loudly.**

**Mrs. Weasley came running out, "Ginny?"**

**"Mum, these two need something to calm the stomach. They're not used to side-along. They're muggles," she explained, then looked at Evanna and added, "I think."**

**Bonnie allowed Evanna to lead her after Ginny into the burrow. They sat down at the table.**

**Bonnie still looked somewhat stunned. She looked at Evanna as if to say "what just happened?"**

**"Bonnie, I think I'd better introduce Ginny, the REAL Ginny Weasley."**

**"Hi, Bonnie," said Ginny. "Sorry for wrecking your scene earlier. It just brought back too many memories."**

**"Ginny, I hate to break up this friendly get-together," said Mrs. Weasley as she put two glasses in front of Evanna and Bonnie, "but I think you'd better have a good explanation for this."**

**As Ginny hesitated, Mrs. Weasley turned to the other girls, "Well, drink up."**

**"It's okay," grinned Ginny. "It'll make you feel better, really."**

**The two girl emptied their glasses.**

**"Well? I'm waiting."**

**"Somebody tried to burn our room, with us inside it. We couldn't get out so I apparated us all away."**

**"Somebody tried to kill you?"**

**"Looks that way."**

**"Does anyone know who you really are?"**

**"I don't think so," replied Ginny.**

**"Let me get this straight," said Bonnie. "You really are Ginny Weasley?"**

**"Yes."**

**"You're really a w.."**

**"A witch," grinned Ginny. "Yes. You want me to show you."**

**"No," said Bonnie firnly, shaking her head. **

**Evanna laughed. "I think you just proved it getting us out of there."**

**"And this is my Mum," said Ginny.**

**"P..pleased to meet you."**

**"Mum, this is Bonnie. She plays me in the films. And Evanna plays Luna and she's almost as weird. She guessed who I was straightaway."**

**"Pleased to meet you girls," replied Mrs. Weasley, then, turning to Ginny again, she added, "You need to tell someone about this. I'll floo-call Ron at work."**

**Ginny quickly explained that Ron worked in the auror department.**

**Mrs. Weasley came back a few minutes later, "He'll be over shortly. Hermione's coming too. And your father can't believe he has two muggles in his very own house," she finished, grinning.**

**"Great," laughed Ginny. "While Ron and Hermione are quizzing me, Dad'll be interrogating you two on what it's like to be a muggle making a film."**

**"Interrogating?" asked Bonnie uncertainly.**

**"Not like that, but he's obsessed with everything muggle. Having you here will be like getting all his Christmas presents at once."**

**Evanna wanted to watch someone arrive by floo and it wasn't long before Ron appeared, quickly followed by Hermione. Hermione waved her wand quickly over them both and muttered something which cleaned the soot from them.**

**Ginny did the introductions. "This is Ron, my youngest brother, and his girlfriend, Hermione. Hermione, this is Bonnie, and this is Evanna. She has a cat called Crookshanks, too," she added.**

**"Had," Evanna corrected her. "He died a while ago."**

**"Oh, sorry."**

**"You're all staying for something to eat, of course," asked Mrs. Weasley.**

**"No," said Hermione.**

**"Yes," said Ron.**

**Hermione shrugged, "I guess we are."**

**The two girls were obviously nervous around the others and hardly dared say anything when Ron was trying to ask them what had happened.**

**"I know. It's hard, isn't it?" Hermione suddenly to Bonnie, who still seemed to be a little dazed.**

**"What?" asked Bonnie.**

**"Suddenly being faced with all this. It was hard for me too, being muggle-born you know. When I was eleven I suddenly found out this world existed and I was a witch and I was going to leave home for the first time and be with other witches and wizards. By the time I got on the train I was excited, but at first, until I came to terms with it, it was scary. I kept thinking I'd wake up and find it's a dream."**

**"Yeah," agreed Bonnie. "Of course Evanna's always dreaming anyway."**

**"Look at it this way," said Hermione. "At least you know a lot more about our world than I did, even if you did think it was all make believe."**

**Bonnie still seemed uncertain and looked nervously at Ginny.**

**"Bonnie, we've been friends," said Ginny. "Just because you've found out I really AM a witch doesn't change anything. I'm still the same Ginny. It's just that I can do things other girls can't."**

**"Like get us out of fires," said Evanna.**

**"I'm still your friend, Bonnie, if you want me to be."**

**Bonnie nodded slowly. "I think I want you to be."**

**"Good," said Ron, who hadn't spoken for a few minutes, "because believe me, you want Ginny on your side and not against you. She can hex better than Hermione and that's saying something."**

**Ginny and the two muggle girls all grinned.**

**"It's gonna feel really weird, playing you now, Ginny, knowing you are really Ginny and you're watching me."**

**Ginny laughed. "You're doing okay, though you made me look like a silly little girl in the second film swooning over Harry."**

**"You WERE a silly little girl swooning over Harry," laughed Ron.**

**Ginny immediately stood up and faced Ron angrily. Hermione quickly got between them.**

**"Ginny," she warned, her hand over her own wand. "He's a guy. You can't expect him to understand girls."**

**"Well, I suppose, seeing as it took him how many years to figure out he fancied you," she laughed. "Has he got round to proposing yet?"**

**"No," Hermione replied sadly. "I think he's scared I'll say no."**

**"Still a bit thick then, in spite of auror training," said Ginny.**

**"Yeah."**

**"I spose if he won't, you could always go and see if Krum's still interested?"**

**Hermione laughed. "I could, couldn't I?"**

**After Ginny had given Ron a run-down on what had happened, Hermione and Ginny went upstairs leaving Ron to talk with the other two girls alone.**

**"Okay, I think we're done," he said finally, and the two girls breathed a sigh of relief.**

**"You need to ask her, you know," said Evanna told him.**

**"Huh?"**

**"Hermione. She's waited for you and she's still waiting, but it's hurting her, not being sure you really want her. She won't wait forever."**

**"She knows how I feel. We're really close now."**

**"That's why she sounded so sad when she told Ginny you hadn't proposed yet," put in Bonnie. "You'll lose her, you know."**

**"What?"**

**"If you don't ask her soon. When she gets too sad to stay, she'll go, and she won't come back."**

**"You think?"**

**"We're girls, okay? We might be muggles, but we know these things," replied Evanna as Hermione came back into the room.**

**"We'd better get back," said Ginny, "we're bound to be being missed."**

**"It's okay, we'll have to walk back in from town as if we've been out for a while," said Bonnie.**

**"You two ready for another ride?"**

**They both nodded nervously.**

**"It's not so bad when you know what to expect, but I prefer a broom. But Dad'll kill me for taking you back before he gets home."**

**Two evenings later a very angry Harry apparated directly into the Burrow. "What do you mean by letting Ginny go there?" he asked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.**

**"Sit down, son," replied Mr. Weasley.**

**Harry paced around a bit, then finally sat down.**

**"Now, tell us what it's all about."**

**"Someone tried to kill three of the girls the other day. I decided to check on them without them knowing. And I found out one of them is Ginny, the real Ginny. How could you let her go there? It's dangerous."**

**"Firstly, we didn't LET her do anything. She didn't give us a choice. Secondly, the moment she thought you might be in danger, she gave up her career with the Harpies and went there to protect YOU. And if you think any of us could have stopped her, you don't know Ginny very well."**

**"To protect me? But she hates me."**

**"How can you say that?" cried Mrs. Weasley. "It's torn her apart you not wanting to see her. If it obviously wasn't tearing you apart just as much I'd have thrown you out of here for what you're doing to her."**

**"But I heard her. After the battle. She said she never wanted to see me again. She blamed me for Fred."**

**"That's rubbish," cried Mrs. Weasley. "They say those who listen behind doors, or invisibility cloaks, never hear good of themselves. Ginny was blaming herself for letting everyone down. She felt bad she hadn't insisted on going with you, felt bad she'd left others to battle at Hogwarts while she went into hiding. She felt sure if she'd been there, they'd have been better trained. She couldn't face you feeling she'd let you down so badly. And you avoiding her just made her think you agreed with her."**

**"I never knew," he admitted.**

**"You never asked," she said angrily. "You just walked away from all of us that care for you."**

**Mr. Weasley interrupted his wife. "Fred died fighting for a future. You couldn't have kept him away any more than we could, or any more than we can stop Ginny from putting herself in danger to protect you, to somehow prove herself, to make up for what she thinks she did wrong in the war. Whether you like it or not, you are part of that future Fred and Tonks and Lupin and so many other gave their lives for. If you tie yourself to the past, it's a slap in the face for them."**

**"Now you're here, you can stay for tea, "insisted Mrs. Weasley. Seeing Harry's hesitation she continued, "No arguments. I'll get Ron over here so you can give him a report for the Ministry."**

**Unsurprisingly Hermione arrived with Ron. "So you've found out about Ginny then?" he asked. "We wondered how long it would take. Has she found you yet?"**

**"No. But I still can't see why she'd put herself in danger to protect me, just to prove herself. If anyone failed in the war, it was me."**

**"To prove herself?" asked Hermione. "What do you mean?"**

**"Mr Weasley said she wanted to make up because she thought she let me down in the war."**

**"That's part of it," said Hermione. "I think, like someone else I know, she blamed herself for a lot of things that weren't her fault."**

**"A lot of things were my fault," Harry argued. "You getting tortured for one, if I hadn't said Voldemort when Ron had told us saying the name was a trap."**

**"Okay, Harry. You're right. I wouldn't have been tortured by Belatrix if it wasn't for your mistake. But if it hadn't been for that, we wouldn't have known about the horcrux in her vault and Voldemort would still be here, torturing more people. I'd say it was a bargain. But you've done far worse to Ginny. She'd waited all that time for you, ready to pick up the pieces if you made it back alive, not knowing if she'd ever see you alive again and feeling she'd never be worthy of you if she did. And when the war was over and you didn't need her or even want her any more, it just about killed her."**

**Ron picked up where Hermione left off. "The only time we saw anything of the old Ginny was at Quidditch. And you didn't even notice. That's why she left to join the Harpies."**

**"So before you go on at Ginny for trying to make herself worthy of you, in her own eyes, just know this," continued Hermione firmly. "She dropped her career and everything the moment she heard you were in danger, not for some silly guilt trip, but because she loves you with everything she is. And even if she can't have you, she won't let anyone hurt you if it's in her power to stop them."**

**"I'd better get back there," said Harry, heavily, looking like he'd been struck by lightning.**

**"Yeah," agreed Ron. "And look after my sister. And she can't get away so easily without people noticing, so make sure you come back here and let us know how she is. And let us know how you are too, you big lumox."**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ginny and the muggles, chapter three. **

**Author's note:- I still don't have a BETA and one would be welcome. (I probably don't need help with Britishisms as I am English.)**

**RECAP**

**Strange things are happening on the film set for Harry Potter. Harry has been sent undercover to keep and eye on things. Ginny has left the Hollyhead Harpies to also investigate what is happening and has made some friends.**

**Ginny was sitting quietly in her room when there was a knock on the door. She opened it but there was nobody there. As she was about to close it she felt something push past her.**

**"Harry?" she asked, hardly daring to hope.**

**He took off the cloak. "Are you alone?"**

**"Yes, Evanna's in make-up."**

**"Two days!" he cried in an exasperated tone.**

**"Two days what?"**

**"Two days I've been trying to get you alone. Don't they ever leave you alone?"**

**"Not much. After the fire they seem to think someone might be after me. So they try to make sure one of them is with me when they can be."**

**"Like they could protect you," he laughed.**

**"Harry Potter, you say one more thing against my friends and I swear I'll hex you."**

**"I'm not against them. They're pretty brave actually. They must know they'd be helpless against magic, but they still want to protect you."**

**"And you know how I love people trying to protect me. Not that I'd let anything happen to them."**

**"You got angry if I tried to protect you," pointed out Harry.**

**"Only because you thought I couldn't protect myself."**

**"I never thought that. Not since you were a little girl anyway."**

**"So did you come here to argue?"**

**"No. I came here for this." With that he pulled her to him and kissed her on the mouth. **

**After about thirty seconds, Ginny pushed him away. "You wander off and don't want to see any of us and you think you can just waltz back into my life and do this?"**

**"I never meant to hurt you Ginny. I swear. I felt so bad, I thought you never wanted to see me again and..."**

**"You thought what? How could you think that?"**

**"It doesn't matter now. It was a mistake." He desperately searched for the rights words and, unable to find them moved to kiss her again, this time she didn't push him away. "Can you forgive me?"**

**"A little more of that and I might consider it," she said seriously.**

**This time their kiss was disturbed by clapping. They broke apart instantly, suddenly alert.**

**"Er, Hi, girls. This is er, this is Harry."**

**"We'd never have guessed," laughed Evanna.**

**"It's about time," said Bonnie. "Otherwise I'll never get to do the epilogue scene."**

**"Epilogue scene?" asked Ginny.**

**"You two get together and make babies and send them off to Hogwarts," laughed Bonnie.**

**"You mean you want to make babies with Daniel?" asked Ginny trying to look innocent and failing.**

**Bonnie screwed up her nose, "Nah. No, thanks. I mean, he's okay, but no."**

**The others laughed.**

**After a few seconds Harry stopped laughing and became very serious. The others looked at him expectantly.**

**"Okay. We haven't been able to find out why someone tried to kill you three. It's odd. All the other accidents were minor, but it looks like someone wanted one or all of you out of the way."**

**"If Ginny hadn't been with us..." began Bonnie and shivered at the thought.**

**"Exactly," said Harry. "Could someone have known the real Ginny is here? Or were they trying to kill one of you two?"**

**"We've been trying to figure that out," said Ginny. **

**"Has anyone been acting strange since your survival?"**

**"No. Everyone seems to think we weren't in the room," said Bonnie.**

**"I'm betting the killer knows you were," Harry replied. "In which case he's going to be wondering how you got out."**

**"It all depends on whether it's a wizard or a muggle," mused Evanna.**

**"Why?" asked Bonnie.**

**"Because a wizard will guess we got out by magic," answered Evanna.**

**Harry nodded.**

**When Harry had left, Ginny said, "You know I've been dreaming of what it would be like when we finally saw each other again and instead it was like we just spoke yesterday. It's weird."**

**Then Bonnie said, "You know, he's not like I thought he'd be."**

**"Why?"**

**"I don't know. I mean, he saved the wizarding world an' all that, yet he's seems more ordinary. Like a normal boy. I mean, I wasn't nervous talking to him."**

**Ginny grinned. "Yeah. Everyone in the wizarding world sees this great hero. To me, he's just Harry. I remember the first time I saw him, at King's Cross, before I even knew who he was. He seemed so lonely. Even then, I just wanted to make everything alright for him."**

**"And when you found out who he was?"**

**"At first I couldn't understand. I mean, I grew up knowing the story of the boy who lived. Even as a baby, he was considered a hero. It didn't make sense that he was this lost lonely boy at the station. Then I found out how he'd been treated and I wanted to go and hex them all."**

**"I bet. It's amazing he seems so normal after everything he's been through," replied Bonnie.**

**"Except his eyes," said Evanna.**

**"Sorry?"**

**"Except his eyes. You can see it in his eyes, like he's seen too much. Too much he can't forget."**

**"That's my job," said Ginny in a determined tone of voice.**

**"What is?"**

**"To help him forget."**

**Over the next week Harry sneaked in to see Ginny most days, sometimes when she was alone, but often when she was with Bonnie. Evanna had gone home as she wasn't needed for a long while.**

**"I never knew it took so long," said Ginny, a week or so later. **

**"What?" asked Bonnie.**

**"Making films."**

**Bonnie laughed. "We spent almost a year on each one. Although I wasn't needed a lot of the time. This time, after we've done the scene with the attack at the wedding, I won't be needed for a few months, until the final battle."**

**"Don't remind me. I wasn't there with him the whole year," said Ginny, but with less bitterness than previously.**

**"You okay?"**

**"Yeah. I just wish I could have been with him. Especially as my wonderful brother walked out on him. They all kept that bit quiet."**

**"How's it feel?"**

**"What?"**

**"To have the whole world know what happened to you? Did you all tell your stories or what?"**

**"No. We didn't," said Ginny, her voice sounding more angry than before. "Someone, we still don't know who, put some kind of spell on the train. Somehow it read our minds and then whoever it was somehow put the story in Mrs. Rowling's head. The Ministry still doesn't know who did it, or why."**

**"That's awful. I'd hate anyone to know everything I thought or felt."**

**"We weren't happy about it. But we never knew until after the sixth book and the fifth film. Hermione's parents told Hermione and Ron about it."**

**"How come nobody knew until then?"**

**"Most of us don't have much contact with muggles, and I guess the ministry were more interested in the war than watching what muggles were doing. When I first saw the films, and I looked such an idiot with a crush on the great Harry Potter, I could have died, except by then I didn't care about much anyway."**

**"I'm sorry."**

**"What for?"**

**"Making you feel bad. I never knew it was real."**

**"I know. I never even wanted to watch them, but everyone else at Hogwarts was talking about them. But I'd have left Hogwarts anyway. After the battle, nothing seemed to matter any more, you know? I guess I ran away to play quidditch and forget everything else."**

**"It's hard to believe."**

**"What is?"**

**"You're the same age as me and you've gone through so much. I can't even imagine wanting to settle down and marry yet. I'm almost envious. You know what you want and who you want. And it's pretty obvious, watching you two together, that he loves you just as much."**

**Ginny smiled. "I can't wait for this film to be over, then perhaps we can finally be together."**

**"You will be careful won't you?"**

**"Why?"**

**"You know if anything happened to you, it would destroy him."**

**Ginny sighed. "Sometimes I'd give anything for him not to have been 'the boy who lived' or 'the chosen one' or any of those things. I just want my Harry."**

**Another week later and they were filming the end of the attack at the wedding. With so many special effects and explosions going off, there were ambulances waiting nearby, just in case.**

**Suddenly there was a tremendous explosion close to Bonnie and she was blown across the set, landing badly. Two of the ambulance crew came running and immediately took her away. "I'm going with her," insisted Ginny.**

**"Get in, then."**

**As they drove away, Ginny noticed the feel of the ambulance change. Looking out of the window, she was shocked to see the ground was far below. At once she pulled out her wand.**

**"We've got problems," said one of the two ambulance men.**

**"Ginny, it's okay," called the driver.**

**"Ron?"**

**"Brilliant, eh? It was dad's idea. It's better than the old car."**

**"Where are we going?"**

**"St. Mungo's for now."**

**"Is she bad?" Ginny asked the ambulance man who seemed to be in charge.**

**"She's unconscious. But I think she'll be okay."**

**"At least we now know who they were trying to kill," said Ron grimly.**

**At St. Mungo's they decided to repair most of Bonnie's wounds before allowing her to regain consciousness.**

**"Hi," said Ginny, "How do you feel?"**

**"Weird. Where am I?"**

**"Hospital. You're okay."**

**"Has anyone let my family know?"**

**"I think so, we sent a message to the producer saying you were okay. But it's only been twelve hours. They think you are in a private hospital."**

**"So where am I then?"**

**"St. Mungo's. You were quite badly hurt.**

**"How? I don't remember much."**

**"One of the explosions went off too close to you."**

**"Oh."**

**"I have to let you rest again now, I'll be back in to see you later," Ginny told her.**

**"I think I've rested enough," protested Bonnie, but she soon fell asleep.**

**When Bonnie awoke, Ginny was laying on the bed next to her bed, reading.**

**"Hi, Feeling better?"**

**"Better than you," retorted Bonnie. "You look awful."**

**One of the healers walked in at that point and said bluntly, "That's because this silly girl wouldn't leave your side or even go to sleep. Doesn't seem to trust us to do our own job."**

**Bonnie could see Ginny biting back a retort, but she couldn't hide the flash in her eyes. She waited for the healer to examine her and leave before turning to Ginny and asking, "It wasn't an accident, was it? That's why you're guarding me."**

**"Ron's coming soon," replied Ginny. "We'll talk about it then. He's had people investigating it, so he'll know more. He should have been here two hours ago."**

**"You just answered me," smiled Bonnie grimly. "You're worried about him being late, aren't you?"**

**Ginny nodded.**

**"What are you reading?" asked Bonnie, if only to change the subject.**

**"I'm finally getting around to reading the rest of the final book," Ginny admitted. "I decided I was being silly avoiding it."**

**It was almost an hour later that Ron finally arrived, looking exhausted and pale. Harry was with him.**

**"What happened?" demanded Ginny at once.**

**"I thought it was over," said Harry, in an almost pleading tone of voice. "I really thought it was over."**

**"What?" Ginny almost screamed.**

**"Death Eaters," said Ron. "We thought we had them all, or they were dead. But there's just been three death eater attacks."**

**"Over fifty muggles killed," said Harry, heavily.**

**Ginny grabbed him. "This isn't your fault," she said firmly.**

**"She's right, mate," said Ron. "You've done your part."**

**"I can't just do nothing."**

**"Nobody's asking you to," Ron pointed out. "Bonnie. Your accident wasn't an accident. The explosion that nearly killed you was almost five times the size it should have been. The healers here say you'd have died in a muggle hospital."**

**Bonnie looked shocked.**

**"Great, Ron. She's just come round and you give here a shock like that..." complained Ginny.**

**"I just thought she should... I'm sorry."**

**"No," said Bonnie. "He's right. I want to know. Well, maybe not want, but I need to know."**

**"But..."**

**"Ginny, don't let's argue over this. She needs to know as we need to make a plan to keep her alive."**

**"Can't she stay here?"**

**"We don't want to risk it. But it can't be a coincidence that the death eater attacks happened at the same time as Bonnie's accident."**

**Ginny looked at Harry and he was nodding slowly.**

**"I think maybe we're coming closer to finding out the reason behind leaking Harry's story to the muggles. And it's not going to be good." Ron turned to ask Bonnie directly, "Are you needed in any more scenes?"**

**"If they've finished that one, not until the final battle. Why?"**

**"We want to put you in hiding. I've checked with Professor McGonagal and she's agreed."**

**"What about her family?" asked Ginny suddenly.**

**"My family? You think they might be in danger?"**

**"Ginny's right," said Ron, heavily. "I didn't want to talk about this until you were better... One of the death eater attacks, it was your house. Your family's okay, so's your house. I had wards around the house and a team of auror's watching them."**

**"You knew about this?" Bonnie demanded.**

**Ron shook his head. "No. I just thought that the attack before might have been aimed at you. And if it was, knowing how they worked in the war, your family might be in danger. So I made sure they were safe."**

**Bonnie still looked stunned, but simply muttered, "Thanks."**

**"Sorry you can't see them, but after the attacks, I got them out of the country, just to be safe. But they know you're okay. We had to explain what was happening and I think they're still trying to work out if they believe it or not.**

**"I bet."**

**"Oh, and as Evanna knows about us too, I've arranged for her to go with you. The healers say you're okay to travel, so Ginny will take you tomorrow. Ron I can't stay, I have to go."**

**"Can I at least speak with them?"**

**"Yes. Once you're out of the hospital, we'll get you to a telephone. It's all arranged."**

**Ginny stared at Ron as he left.**

**"What's up, Gin?"**

**"Ron, he's so different."**

**"He grew up, Gin, just like you did."**

**"I always treated him like he was my idiot youngest brother. Now, did he say that HE sent a team of auror's to protect Bonnie's family?"**

**Harry nodded. "He's the best they have, Ginny. Seriously. He's good. You know what he's like playing chess. Well, he's like that as an auror. If anyone can get to the bottom of this, he will. Of course he's not quite as sharp without Hermione to keep him on his toes, but..."**

**"What's happened to Hermione?" asked Ginny suddenly.**

**"Nothing. She's okay. She's just spending more and more time at work, busy rewriting half the laws about magical creatures. That's what she says anyway, but everyone else thinks she's just avoiding Ron."**

**"He didn't ask her," said Bonnie.**

**"What?" asked Harry.**

**"We warned him. At Ginny's house. Evanna and I told him if he didn't ask her, he'd lose her."**

**"Ask her what?" asked Harry.**

**Ginny rolled her eyes. "Ask her to marry him, of course."**

**"Oh."**

**"How's Ron taking it?"**

**"Not good. He won't show it. If anything he's working harder than ever, but Ron without Hermione, it's like there's something missing, and he knows it. I've tried to persuade him to go and speak to her, but he says he won't hold her back."**

**"Harry, can you ask Hermione to see us before we go to Hogwarts?"**

**"You'll see her at King's Cross anyway. We asked her to go and collect Evanna from Ireland as she's better at flying in planes than most wizards."**

**"Harry? Are you still guarding the filming?"**

**"Yes. But you need to stick with Bonnie."**

**"But she'll be safe at Hogwarts... You're not leaving me behind again, dammit."**

**"Ginny, this isn't about leaving you behind. With Bonnie not there, there's no reason for you to be there. And with that hair you do tend to stand out."**

**"But..."**

**"Ginny. We don't know what's going on, but we know it all centres on Bonnie. Ron needs someone he can trust with her at all times, even at Hogwarts."**

**Ginny fumed silently.**

**"Ginny, please. I'm not just saying that. You can ask Ron if you like."**

**"Alright. You go off into danger without me again. But I warn you, if you get yourself killed, I'll never speak to you again."**

**Harry grinned. "Gin. I have a job to do. So do you. And as all the serious attacks seem to be to do with Bonnie, I should be saying that to you."**

**Ginny looked sceptical.**

**"I mean it. Be careful, Gin. I don't ever want to be without you again." And bending to give her a quick kiss on the nose, he left.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ginny and the muggles, chapter four. **

**Author's note:- I still don't have a BETA and one would be welcome. (I probably don't need help with Britishisms as I am English.)**

**RECAP**

**Strange things are happening on the film set for Harry Potter. Bonnie has been seriously injured in an explosion and over fifty muggles have been killed in death eater attacks.**

**The next day Ginny took Bonnie to King's cross. They had walked out of the hospital and once safely in muggle London, Bonnie told Ginny how to summon one of London's famous black cabs.**

**Ron met them at King's Cross and gave Bonnie muggle money for the phone. "Hermione said you can buy a card or something? If you show me how..."**

**Bonnie grinned. "I'll do it. It's simpler."**

**While Bonnie was making her long emotional phone call, Ginny rounded on Ron. "Why did you let Hermione go?"**

**"She wanted to. I always knew I'd never be good enough for her." There was a touch of bitterness in his voice.**

**"Ron you may be my brother and you may be the best auror they've got..."**

**"Who said that?"**

**"Harry."**

**"Harry said that?"**

**"Yes. Never mind that. You're still an idiot. Hermione loves you. She has for ages."**

**"Then why doesn't she see me?"**

**"Because every time she sees you it hurts."**

**"Why? I don't understand."**

**"Ron, do you love her?"**

**"Yes," he admitted.**

**"Then ask her to marry you."**

**"What if she says no?"**

**"Then at least you'll know. But she won't say no. I know she won't. She might get mad at you for taking so long, but she won't say no."**

**"I don't know."**

**"For Merlin's sake, Ron. Are you a Griffyndor or not?" Ginny shouted.**

**"What are you two arguing about?" said Bonnie.**

**"Just discussing," said Ron.**

**"Loudly enough for the whole station to hear."**

**"Oh," said Ginny, embarrassed.**

**"How long have we got to wait?" asked Bonnie.**

**"About half an hour."**

**"Am I really going on the Hogwarts express?"**

**Ginny grinned. "Excited? I remember my first time. I was finally going, after watching all my brothers go. Finally it was my turn."**

**"Is there any food around here?" asked Ron.**

**Ginny rolled her eyes. "Typical. Some things never changes."**

**Ron had a burger in one of the station restaurants, while Bonnie and Ginny just had some tea.**

**Finally it was time to go. "Ron," asked Bonnie, "I'm a muggle. How do I get onto the platform?"**

**"The same way Hermione's parents used to," he explained. "You just hold my hand or Ginny's hand and slide through after us."**

**Bonnie was a bit nervous of doing that, so Ron went first to show her, then Ginny and Bonnie followed.**

**Hermione and Evanna were already on the platform. Evanna ran to Bonnie. "Are you okay?"**

**"Yes. I'm okay. Really."**

**"I can't believe it, we're actually going to Hogwarts."**

**Ron was very quiet. "Hi, Hermione," he said.**

**"Hi, Ron."**

**"I'll take them from here to Hogsmead, then. Thanks for getting Evanna."**

**"You're welcome." Hermione turned to the girl. "Good luck. I wish I was going with you." Then she walked away.**

**Suddenly Ron shouted, "HERMIONEWILLYOUMARRYME?" and Ginny burst out laughing.**

**"What?" he asked.**

**"That was just like when you asked Fleur to the ball. You just screamed it at her."**

**Hermione ignored Ginny and walked back to Ron and asked quietly, "What did you say?"**

**"I mean... I know I'm not really brainy like you and I know you could get someone better and I'm no good at saying things..."**

**"Ron," hissed Ginny, exasperated.**

**"Hermione. It's just I never want us to be apart. I know you'll say no but I have to ask you."**

**"Ask me what, Ron?" said Hermione gently.**

**"Hermione, will you marry me?"**

**For a second all Hermione's usual restraint disappeared. She squealed and hugged him, and gave him a kiss that left them both breathless.**

**"Was that a yes?" he asked finally.**

**She punched him on the shoulder. "Yes," she said quietly, then burst into tears.**

**Ron looked puzzled. "What did I do wrong now?"**

**"Nothing," sobbed Hermione. "I'd just got used to the idea that you'd never ask."**

**"Hermione, I'm sorry. I just never dared... I never thought you'd say yes."**

**"Why?"**

**Ginny answered that one. "Hermione. Ron's had you on a pedestal since about the time of that ball. He's always thought you'd find someone better."**

**"Ron, now you listen to me. There isn't anyone better for me, not now, nor will there ever be. I love you, okay?"**

**"Yes, Hermione."**

**"He's whipped," giggled Bonnie. But Ron and Hermione didn't hear as they were kissing again.**

**This time their kiss was interrupted by a loud whistle.**

**"Quick!" said Hermione. "Everyone on board."**

**"Ron," said Ginny. "I can manage to get them to Hogwarts. You stay with Hermione. She looks like she needs a cup of tea or something to calm her down." **

**"And I'm sure you can manage another burger," giggled Bonnie.**

**Ginny hurried the two girls onto the train just as it began to move.**

**"It feels weird being on the train when it's almost empty."**

**"Not quite," said Evanna, pointing at a man at one end of the carriage.**

**He nodded at Ginny and smiled. Then she noticed another at the other end of the carriage.**

**"Aurors," she said. "Ron's not taking chances."**

**To Ginny the journey seemed to take longer than ever. Finally they arrived at Hogwarts. A single carriage was waiting. As they approached Hogwarts, Bonnie said, "Is that it?"**

**"Yes," replied Ginny, puzzled by her tone.**

**"It looks a right ruin." Bonnie began to get restless. "I don't want to go. Ginny, I mean it. I really don't want to go there. It's giving me the creeps."**

**"Me too," said Evanna, "but don't worry, that'll be the charm to keep muggles away, won't it Ginny?"**

**"I suppose so. I never thought about it."**

**A few minutes later both girls were saying "Wow!"**

**"It's incredible," said Bonnie, as they passed through the gates. "I thought the sets we use were amazing, but compared to the real thing they're nothing."**

**"I guess we're through the charm," said Evanna. "It looks like something out of a fairytale."**

**A lot of the younger children had gathered to see who was coming up the drive, so they soon had an unexpected escort.**

**Finally they drew up to the big front doors. "Welcome back, Ginny."**

**"Professor!" cried Ginny with delight. "Professor, this is Bonnie and this is Evanna. This is Professor McGonagall. She's headmistress now."**

**"Welcome girls. We've made a dorm available for you. I'm sure Ginny can show you the way. Bonnie, your things have been brought from where you stayed when you were filming. They are already in your dorm. Ginny and Evanna, if you leave your bags, they'll be taken up for you."**

**"We'll take them ourselves, thank you Professor. I wouldn't want to get in trouble with Hermione for taking advantage of the house elves."**

**"Okay. Be quick. Dinner is in twenty minutes. You've just got time to clean up if you hurry."**

**Ginny took them up the stairs to the dorm. "Is it true the stairs move?" asked Evanna.**

**"Yes, but not as much since the rebuilding," Ginny answered her. "I think Professor McGonagall put some kind of spell on them to make them behave."**

**The great hall was nearly full, but they found that spaces had been left for them at the front of the Griffyndor table.**

**"Silence everyone," called Professor McGonagall. "I'd like to welcome Ginny back here at Hogwarts. Please stand up Ginny, and your friends too."**

**Bonnie and Evanna nervously stood up beside Ginny.**

**"Now, Bonnie and Evanna are staying here at the request of the department of Aurors for their own safety. They are muggles. I expect you all to treat them as honoured guests and I will not be pleased if you take advantage and play tricks on them. I trust that I make myself understood."**

**As she sat down, she added. "And Ginny, I'd like to see you in my office after dinner, please."**

**"What have I done now?" whispered Ginny as they sat down. "I've only just got here."**

**Two of the Griffyndor boys decided they'd give Bonnie and Evanna the grand tour while Ginny went to see Professor McGonagall.**

**"Remember, no pranking," Ginny warned as she left them.**

**"As if we would," one of them said in a hurt tone of voice while the other turned both girls hair a nice shade of Griffyndor gold.**

**Seeing both girls laugh, Ginny said nothing.**

**Ginny knocked on the headmistress' door, feeling once again like a small child.**

**"Come in, Ginny. Please sit down."**

**"Yes, Professor."**

**"Don't look so worried. You haven't done anything wrong. But as you're going to be here for most of the rest of this year, and you and Harry seem to have got over your previous, er, difficulties, your mother and I thought this would be a good chance for you to finish your studies and get your NEWTS."**

**Seeing Ginny's hesitation, she added, "It would really please your parents, you know. I've got your books here. If you read up to where I've marked, you should be up with the rest of the class. You can start classes on Monday."**

**"I suppose so."**

**"And we've restarted Dumbledore's Army. Perhaps you'd like to help teach them?"**

**Ginny grinned. "I'd love to. It's still Dumbledore's Army then?"**

**"It always will be," replied the professor firmly. "Right then. There's a D.A. meeting tomorrow evening."**

**"Can I take Bonnie and Evanna?"**

**The professor thought for a few seconds. "I don't see why not."**

**The two girls thought they'd be too excited to sleep, but they were wrong. At breakfast, one of the youngest girls came to them with a message. "Madam Pomfrey wants to check on Bonnie after breakfast."**

**"Thank you," said Ginny.**

**The girl hesitated. "Were you really Harry Potter's girlfriend?"**

**Ginny nearly choked, so Bonnie answered for her. "No. Ginny IS Harry Potter's girlfriend."**

**"Really?" the girl exclaimed.**

**"Really," Bonnie assured her. "I've seen them kissing."**

**The girl's eyes opened wide and she ran away to tell her friends.**

**Evanna and Ginny gave up trying not to laugh.**

**"Oh well," sighed Ginny. "It makes a change from being asked for an autograph because I played for the Holyhead Harpies. Come on, let's get you to Madam Pomfrey."**

**Madam Pomfrey's examination took no more than a few minutes. "Hmm. You seem fine. I want to see you every couple of days for a week or so, just to be sure."**

**"Okay."**

**"Right, girls. You can go. Don't get them into any trouble, Ginny."**

**"As if I would," called Ginny as they walked down the corridor.**

**"Where are you taking us now?" asked Evanna.**

**"I thought we'd visit Hagrid," grinned Ginny.**

**As they approached Hagrid's hut, Evanna asked, "Is he really as big as..." but her words were cut off as the door slammed open and Hagrid came running out.**

**He picked Ginny up off the ground and swung her around. "Lil' Ginny. It's so good to see you. How are you? I heard you and Harry got back together."**

**"That got round quick enough," laughed Ginny as Hagrid put her down. "This is my friend Hagrid. This is lil' Bonnie and lil' Evanna," she said, still laughing.**

**"Pleased to meet you ladies," said Hagrid, offering a huge hand to shake their hands. "Any friend of Ginny's a friend of mine."**

**Bonnie thought she'd be nervous with someone so big, but as she saw her hand, so tiny in Hagrid's huge hand, she realised it just made her feel safe being with him.**

**"Harry's given me strict instructions to keep an eye on you three," he said, then, seeing the expression on Ginny's face, he added, "I probably shouldn' 'a' said that. Anyway, come in and have some tea."**

**"We've just had breakfast," explained Ginny.**

**"Of course you have. Well, it's nice to see you anyway. Come in and tell me what's been happening. Trying to get anything out of Harry, it's like getting blood from a stone. And your brother Ron's worse, nowadays."**

**They all sat together in one huge armchair as Ginny explained to Hagrid everything that had been happening.**

**"I thought it was all over," he sighed.**

**"So did Harry," said Ginny, sadly. "I don't think he'll really relax until it is."**

**There was a sudden tapping at the door. Hagrid smiled and got up and opened it. A little girl leapt into his arms, then looked around. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you had guests." She climbed down, looking embarrassed.**

**"Don't you worry, 'lil Steph. This is Stephanie. This is Ginny and..."**

**"I know who they are. They're film stars. One's called Bonnie and one's called Evanna."**

**Ginny looked surprised.**

**"I'm muggle-born," she explained. "I saw all the Harry Potter films. I couldn't believe it when I found out I was a witch. My parents thought it was some kind of practical joke at first. But I read everything I could about it before I came here."**

**"Remind you of anyone we know?" grinned Ginny to Hagrid, then turning to Stephanie, "so how do you know Hagrid?"**

**"Oh." She looked embarrassed. "I, er..."**

**"It's alright," said Hagrid. "Ginny won't tell on you. Some boys tricked her into going into the forbidden forest."**

**"Luckily Hagrid found me before I got too lost."**

**"And she'll never go in there alone again, will you Stephanie?"**

**"No, Hagrid," Stephanie replied with a look not far from adoration on her face.**

**The other girls smiled.**

**"Ginny?" Stephanie asked quietly. "Do you still see the others? Of course you see Ron, he's your brother, but do you see Harry and Hermione and Neville and Luna and the others?"**

**"Yes, I see Harry and Hermione quite often. I haven't seen Neville or Luna for a while, though. Why?"**

**"Professor McGonagall told us that because of what you all did, me and my family are safe now. I'd just really like to thank you all one day, so can you tell them?"**

**To everyone's surprise Ginny's eyes filled with tears, a most unusual event for her.**

**"Oh. Did I remind her of her brother Fred, who died?"**

**"No, Steph," Ginny assured her. "It's okay. You have to understand. We were in a war and we just did the things we had to do. I just never really thought about WHY before."**

**"What she's trying to say is that hearing you say that you'll be safe now makes it all make sense," explained Bonnie. Ginny looked up at her gratefully.**

**"But she'll still hex you if you tell everyone you saw her cry," finished Evanna.**

**Stephanie looked shocked. "I wouldn't tell, honest." She turned to go then seemed to change her mind. "Bonnie and Evanna. Could I have your autographs? And yours too, Ginny?"**

**"It's okay," laughed Ginny. "You don't have to ask for mine as well. I'm not a film star."**

**"I want it. Then I've got Bonnie AND the real Ginny."**

**"If you like, one day I'll get you the real Harry's autograph," Ginny promised.**

**"Really?"**

**"Yes."**

**"Oh good, I mean, thank you. I have to go now. I have to get my homework done so I have time to watch quidditch practice this afternoon."**

**"There's quidditch practice?" asked Bonnie. "I'd really like to see that for real."**

**After Stephanie had gone, Ginny sighed.**

**"What's up?" asked Hagrid.**

**"Nothing. I'm just thinking how great this place must be to grow up in when you don't have to worry about dark wizards all the time. I know we're worried now, but it doesn't feel as bad as before, you know?"**

**After a lunch, which took a long time as Bonnie and Evanna were being asked for autographs by it seemed like everyone, Ginny took them to see the quidditch practice.**

**"Ginny!"**

**"Hi, Dennis. How you doing?"**

**"Fine. You seem happier. Are you?"**

**Ginny nodded.**

**"I still think of him, you know. But I know he'd want us to move on."**

**Ginny smiled, then realising Bonnie and Evanna were puzzled, she explained. "This is Dennis Creevey. He lost a brother in the final battle too. It gave us something in common, as well as quidditch." Turning to Dennis, she asked, "You quidditch captain now?"**

**"Yeah. Amazing init?" Then he gave a big grin and shouted to the other team members, "Seeing as we have a professional here, why doesn't Ginny show us how it's done?"**

**"EX-professional," said Ginny firmly.**

**"Go on, Ginny," said Evanna. "You know you want to."**

**Ginny grinned and took the broom Dennis was holding out for her and in seconds had flown so high they could barely make her out.**

**"There she is..." "No, there!" The spot grew larger very quickly as Ginny plummeted towards the ground at full speed making everyone gasp. She pulled up mere inches from the ground, then sped off ducking and diving around the whole area, weaving in and out of the hoops. She landed next to Dennis to cheers all round.**

**"Wanna ride?" she asked Bonnie. "I'll take it easy."**

**Bonnie looked nervous, but nodded.**

**"You can come with me," offered Dennis to Evanna.**

**After a gentle ride round the sky, Ginny said, "Race you to the far side of the lake."**

**"You're on."**

**Needless to say, Ginny won easily. She and Bonnie had lain as far forward on the broom to make themselves as flat as possible. Although Dennis and Evanna had copied them, that few seconds advantage was all Ginny had needed.**

**On the slower ride back, Ginny dipped lower and lower until their feet just splashed the surface of the water. Slightly spraying herself, she hadn't noticed that poor Bonnie behind her was getting soaked.**

**But Evanna was unluckier. Dennis misjudged it slightly and they both fell into the lake.**

**He got back on the broom and told Evanna to get behind him, then took off again and reached dry land safely. Ginny had pulled out her wand and dried all of them.**

**"Thanks, Dennis. It was nice to fly like that again."**

**"Thought you'd like it," he grinned. "So how do you like flying, girls?"**

**"That was amazing," said Bonnie.**

**"Could have done without the cold bath though," laughed Evanna.**

**"Amazing? Just wait till tonight," warned Ginny.**

**"Tonight?" asked Bonnie, but Ginny wouldn't say another word.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ginny and the muggles, chapter five. **

**Author's note:- I still don't have a BETA and one would be welcome. Judging by my spelling mistakes in the last chapter, perhaps NEED one would be more accurate. (I probably don't need help with Britishisms as I am English.)**

**RECAP**

**Strange things had been happening on the film set for Harry Potter. Bonnie has been seriously injured in an explosion and over fifty muggles have been killed in death eater attacks. For their own safety, Ginny has gone with them to Hogwarts**

**At dinner, Ginny could hardly keep to herself what was going to happen that evening, but she was determined to surprise Bonnie and Evanna.**

**"Okay, it's time," she said finally, as they were sitting in the Gryffindor common room.**

**They got up and followed her to a corridor and were startled when the wall opened to let them in.**

**"Oh, good," said one of the older boys in the room. "You could come."**

**"Where are we?" asked Bonnie.**

**"The room of requirement. Professor McGonagall obviously got it working again."**

**The boy continued, "For this meeting of Dumbledore's Army, and for the rest of this year, I'm glad to welcome Ginny, who, I'm sure you know, fought in the Battle of Hogwarts. So as she helped train a lot of the Dumbledore's Army for that battle, I'm going to hand the lesson over to her."**

**"Hi. The first thing I want to know is what level you've reached," said Ginny. "So why don't I duel you first so I can get an idea?"**

**The boy grinned. "Okay. I'm Terry, by the way. Everyone else stand well back. Sylvia, count us down."**

**Terry and Ginny pulled out their wands. Sylvia said loudly, "On the count of three. One. Two. Three."**

**Both fired a spell at the same moment, both spells were easily repelled. But it quickly became a one-sided battle, with Ginny's speed at casting and moving soon telling. Finally a spell made it through Terry's shield and he was thrown to the back of the room, his wand flying out of his hand in the other direction.**

**Ginny helped him up. "You okay?" she asked. **

**He nodded. He noticed Bonnie and Evanna looking somewhat scared. "I really am okay. We're only using low power spells, nothing that'll really hurt anyone."**

**"Perhaps I'd better duel two of you at once," suggested Ginny.**

**"Sylvia? Jessica? You up for this," asked Terry.**

**The two girls pulled out their wands. For a moment it seemed like nobody would make the first move, then Sylvia and Jessica both cast spells at the same moment. Ginny easily dodged one and blocked the other before firing off a hex of her own.**

**Soon the sheer speed of the exchanges left everyone barely able to follow what was happening. Jessica had been hit by a stinging hex, but was back in the battle within about ten seconds.**

**Suddenly Bonnie screamed out and fell to the floor. In that moment Ginny was distracted and as both Sylvia and Jessica had just fired a stinging hex and a disarming hex at her, she was hit as she turned to look at Bonnie. Her wand went flying as she fell from the pain of the stinging hex.**

**She was up again in a few seconds, and she joined the other around Bonnie. "That hurt!" exclaimed Bonnie as Jessica and Sylvia helped her up.**

**"Sorry," said Sylvia, "That was meant for Ginny."**

**Bonnie looked at Ginny and rubbed her arm. "If those are spells that don't hurt, I don't even want to THINK about one that does."**

**"No, you don't," replied Ginny smoothly. Then she turned to the others. "Okay, that's an idea of the speed you need to be able to think and move at. In a real battle, you may only get one chance to get the opponent. Bonnie and I would probably be dead, although my hex at Jessica could have killed her first. If you think I'm fast, there was me and Hermione and Luna battling Bellatrix in the battle at Hogwarts. And I was lucky. As you probably know, she almost got me with the Avada Kadavra curse."**

**Ginny paused for effect. "And in a real battle, it is almost impossible to protect yourself AND try to protect someone else as well, unless your opponent isn't very good. Now. I want you to divide into threes, two against one. The one is just to use protection and shield spells. See how long you can stop the other two. When you get hit, change around. The mildest spells only."**

**As everyone in the room began practising, one of the boys started laughing. Evanna looked puzzled. "Why's he laughing?"**

**"Tickling spell," explained Ginny.**

**"That's funny," replied Evanna.**

**Ginny gave a strange look at Bonnie then fired a tickling spell at Evanna, who immediately started laughing hysterically. She stopped the spell after about ten seconds.**

**"What other spells do you have which don't hurt?" Bonnie asked.**

**Ginny grinned. "How about this one? Wingardium Leviosa."**

**Bonnie found herself rising in the air until she bounced gently on the ceiling before Ginny gently lowered her down. "That felt weird."**

**Of course Evanna wanted to have a go, so Ginny had to do it again.**

**Shortly after that Terry closed the meeting. He didn't look very happy. **

**"Something wrong?" asked Ginny.**

**"We're not very good, are we?"**

**"You'll get better. It's just practice."**

**"I know, but I think it's different when nobody really takes it that seriously."**

**"You know what we did, in the year before the battle? And this is a secret, by the way."**

**"What?"**

**"We practiced dueling with the cruciatus curse." **

**Terry's eyes opened wide. "But that's illegal."**

**"Only if you don't have permission from the person you're using it on. Of course if you hit someone with it and they stopped fighting back, you took it off straightaway."**

**"But you can't fight if you've been hit by that curse."**

**"You can. It's almost impossible because of the pain, but some people can still get off a hex or two."**

**"Whew. I don't know."**

**"It gives you a wonderful incentive NOT to lose," said Ginny. "When we started using that our reaction time dropped like crazy."**

**"Yeah, I bet."**

**"But we were in a war. We knew it could and probably would happen for real. Hopefully, you'll never see that, so you won't need to practice it."**

**As they walked off, Evanna said to Ginny, "I can't believe you used cruciatus with Neville there, after what happened to his parents."**

**"Would you believe it was Neville's idea? He wanted to make sure none of us suffered it for real. But he would never cast it himself, though."**

**"I can understand that."**

**Bonnie was very quiet when they got back to their dorm.**

**"What's wrong?" asked Evanna.**

**"That was fun tonight, but back then it was real, wasn't it? Even knowing the books are true, Ginny's world seemed like a dream. But imagining practising like that, knowing that soon it would be real... It's more like a nightmare than a dream."**

**Ginny nodded. "The only thing was, we were too busy learning, and trying to disrupt the Carrows running the school. We didn't think much about what might happen later. Or when we did, we tried not to. To be honest, I think everyone thought it wouldn't happen. That somehow Harry would kill Voldemort and everything would be over, just like that."**

**"It's okay," said Bonnie. "You don't have to talk about it."**

**Ginny continued as though she hadn't heard her... "Of course, in a way it was. Once Voldemort was dead, the battle ended quickly. But so many. You know last time I was in a D.A. Meeting, helping train the others... Over half of those are dead now. For what? Did we really do any good?"**

**"You delayed Voldemort and gave Harry time to find the last horcrux," said Bonnie quietly. "Some of you bought that time with your lives. And Neville was able to kill the snake."**

**"If you could ask any of them," said Evanna, "do you think they'd say it was worth while."**

**"I don't know," said Ginny in almost a whisper.**

**"Look at it this way. If you knew that Voldemort being defeated meant you had had to die, would you have still fought in the battle?"**

**Ginny nodded slowly.**

**"Well, then. Do you really think that they'd say any different, or are you just better than they were?"**

**"No," she protested. "It's just... It was almost a game sometimes. Serious, but fun as we practised. I don't think we ever thought about so many dying. We weren't ready. I can't help feeling I should have done more."**

**"It was war," said Bonnie firmly. "Do you think Remus or Tonks weren't ready? If I understand it right, they were really good. But they both died too. People die in a war, Ginny. You know that better then we do."**

**"I know. I just wish..."**

**"You can't change the past," put in Evanna. "Just live for the future. Make sure they didn't die for nothing."**

**Ginny nodded slowly, then retorted, "Are you sure you haven't been spending time with Hermione?"**

**"No," laughed Evanna, "Just working with Emma, and she's almost as bad."**

**Over the next few weeks, Bonnie and Evanna took the chance to attend some of the first year lessons, more for something to do than for any other reason. Ginny was kept too busy to see much of them, studying for her NEWTS.**

**One night in the dorm, she apologised for virtually ignoring them. "It's okay. Everyone else is looking after us," Evanna assured her. "I'm trying to imagine what it would be like, coming here as a witch and learning all this."**

**"It was great. Better than I imagined, when Tom Riddle wasn't controlling me or when that foul Umbridge woman or the Carrows weren't in charge."**

**"I don't know if I'd want to be a witch," admitted Bonnie.**

**"Why?"**

**"You can do lots of things I can't, but I can't imagine having to fight death eaters or knowing you might be killed or tortured, even at school."**

**"It wasn't always like that," said Ginny. "If you ever get to meet them, you ask Bill or Charlie what it was like before the war. They made it sound so wonderful that it made me desperate to go to Hogwarts from when I was about six. Mum had to stop me climbing on the train. I nearly made it once," she giggled. "I wonder what they'd have done if I had."**

**The next day Terry caught her after lunch. "I really think we're wasting our time with Dumbledore's Army."**

**"Why?"**

**"Everyone still treats it as a game. Their protection spells are crap and most of them aren't even really bothered about that. They just want to play around trying out new tricks on each other."**

**"That's not new, so why are you so worried now?"**

**"Did you see the Prophet this morning?"**

**"No," Ginny sighed. "I didn't have time. Why?"**

**"Another wave of death-eater attacks. All on muggles. Why doesn't anyone take it seriously?"**

**"I'm sure they are in the ministry this time."**

**"They certainly aren't here."**

**"You know, in a way, I wish it had been like this when I was here. Comfortable, safe, nobody worrying about what was going on outside."**

**"But it's wrong. It's all beginning again."**

**"Thank Merlin, it's not on that scale yet. Look, Terry. Let me think about it, okay?"**

**A week later Hagrid asked her to visit him after the last class. "I don't really have the time," she explained, but he insisted that she should come and she didn't want to disappoint her old friend.**

**When she knocked on the door, instead of Hagrid, it was opened by Harry. She smothered him with kisses at the same time asking him what he was doing there.**

**"If you give me a chance, I'll tell you."**

**Then she noticed Hagrid laughing at the back of the hut and felt quite embarrassed.**

**"It's not good news," he warned. "Firstly, we now know that the senior production staff on the film are now ALL under the imperius curse."**

**"Why would anyone want to do that?"**

**"We still don't know. That's why we're not trying to break the curses. We don't want to let whoever-it-is doing it know that we know, so we can try and find out why they are doing it."**

**"Have there been any more script changes?"**

**"No."**

**"Strange."**

**"Not really," said Harry. When Ginny looked puzzled, he continued, "Ron thinks that the script changes earlier were just to see if they could get away with it. They obviously did. But we're no nearer knowing what they are planning, or why."**

**"Have there been any more attacks?"**

**"On the film set, no. Which is strange. The attacks stopped as soon as Bonnie was out of there. But around the country it's getting worse."**

**"Like last time," said Ginny heavily.**

**"Not quite. This time not a single wizard or witch has been attacked, not even muggle-borns. Every attack is on muggles. And they're getting bolder. It seems like it's being organised from somewhere, but we're no nearer than before to finding out where from, or who is behind them."**

**"So what do we do?"**

**"Wait," said Harry, heavily. "There's nothing else we can do. But I did think about your problem with the D.A. And I've asked Professor McGonagall if we can do something."**

**As he outlined his idea, Ginny's eyes grew wide.**

**"And she agreed?"**

**"Yeah. I was surprised. But I think Ron's report about what's happening outside of Hogwarts made her agree."**

**That evening at dinner time Professor McGonagall began by saying, "Dinner tonight is delayed. You are probably all aware of the increasing number of attacks on muggles. As we sit here in safety, there are men and women who have had to bury their husband or wife, children mourning the loss of their parents, parents crying over their dead children. I might also remind you that the reason Ginny and Bonnie and Evanna are here is because of attempts to kill them. But attendance at the D.A. meetings is poor, and most of you who do go treat it as a joke. So I've invited a special guest here tonight to try to show you how deadly the threat is. Madam Pomfrey is here for safety reasons, but I strongly advise all of you to keep well back from the head table."**

**As others shuffled back, Ginny stood up and walked to one end of the head table and Harry walked in at the other side of the room to a few gasps from some of the students.**

**But before most of the students had even seen him, he cast a spell which Ginny quickly repelled and sent one flying towards him.**

**The students began cheering as Ginny and Harry fought until a spell from Harry got through and blood began spurting from Ginny's left leg. The cheering was replaced with a shocked silence at her shriek of pain, then Ginny cast a series of flaming spells at Harry, one finally getting through and burning his left arm. The heat could be felt by every student.**

**Weaker now, and obviously both in a lot of pain, they continued to battle until Ginny finally got an imperius curse on Harry, and made him put his wand down and begin to dance around it. Everyone could see the strain on Harry's face as he tried to fight off the imperius. He fell to the ground and made a sudden grasp to take his wand and cried out "Crucio!"**

**Taken off guard, Ginny was caught full on by the curse. Her wand dropped to the ground as her face contorted in agony. Her whole body twisted as she fell to the floor with an awful scream.**

**Released from the imperius in the same moment, Harry ran to Ginny. Madam Pomfrey was there almost as quickly. "Drink this. Slow sips."**

**Harry helped Ginny drink the potion. **

**"Okay, Harry, She can get up now," said Madam Pomfrey. "I want to check you both out in the hospital wing. Don't worry. There's nothing I can't fix quickly enough."**

**As Harry helped Ginny out of the room, Professor McGonagall stood up to speak again. "Now please welcome senior auror Redford."**

**A rather small man with grey hair walked into the room. Anyone looking less like an auror could hardly be imagined. There was a smattering of applause but most were still too shocked by the display they'd just seen.**

**"As you know," the auror began, "we just fought a war to bring peace between different peoples. And if you think what you have just seen was bad, think again. As Harry could tell you, his friend Hermione, no older than some of you here now, was tortured under the cruciatus curse by the death eater Bellatrix. And that wasn't for a few seconds. Many students from your own school died fighting for the freedom you are enjoying today. Now, as you know, someone is trying to destroy that peace. **

**"Some of you may think you're safe. After all, they are only killing muggles. Think again. From today, the Minster is officially asking every wizard and witch to fight and protect the muggles who live around them. That includes you when you leave here to go home. While you play and don't prepare, you may be lining yourself up to be tortured or killed. We are expanding the auror department again, so I encourage you to think about that as a career. But even those who don't become aurors, that's most of you obviously, need to know how to defend yourself and those around you."**

**"Thank you auror Redford," said Professor McGonagall. "Auror Redford will be staying the rest of this week and will be giving lessons on defence against the dark arts. From some of the stories he has told me, I can tell you that they will be interesting to say the least, not to mention entertaining, in spite of the seriousness of the subject. Now, let us eat."**

**Food appeared on all the tables, but quite a few of the students couldn't face it after the display they'd seen.**

**By the time Harry and Ginny had arrived at the hospital, the effects of the cruciatus curse had virtually gone already, except that she was still a bit dazed. He insisted that Madam Pomfrey heal Ginny's leg wound before he allowed her to heal the far more substantial burns on his own arm.**

**When Madam Pomfrey was finished with them, Harry asked Ginny, "Hungry?"**

**"Yes," she nodded. "Let's see if we can get some food brought here. It'll be nice to have some time alone for a change."**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ginny and the muggles, chapter six. **

**Author's note:- I STILL don't have a BETA and one would be welcome. (I probably don't need help with Britishisms as I am English.)**

**RECAP**

**Things have been quiet on the film set for Harry Potter since Bonnie had been seriously injured in an explosion but more muggles have been killed in death eater attacks. Ginny, Bonnie and Evanna are still safe at Hogwarts.**

**Before they could even begin, the door burst open and two shocked looking girls ran into the room. **

**Bonnie ran straight to Harry and started hitting him. "How could you? How could you do that to her?"**

**In a second Ginny was between Harry and Bonnie, having pushed her away. "Don't you ever do that again."**

**"But... You're alright?"**

**"Yes. Of course I am." She sighed. "I thought you understood." Ginny thought for a moment, then asked, "Harry, How often are the death eater attacks?"**

**"Every night, at least one every night. Why?"**

**"I'm going to take Bonnie and Evanna outside to the gate, so we can apparate to the Burrow. Tell Ron to let me know the moment they hear of an attack."**

**"What are you doing?" Harry asked her suspiciously.**

**"Nothing dangerous. Clear it with McGonagall, will you?"**

**Harry rolled his eyes. "Why do I get all the easy jobs?"**

**"Because you're the big hero," retorted Ginny, then, pulling him to her, whispered, "My big hero anyway," laughing when Harry looked so obviously embarrassed.**

**"What are we doing?" asked Bonnie.**

**"It's okay. Trust me."**

**Ginny would say nothing more as they walked to the gate so they could apparate. When they arrived at the Burrow, Bonnie said, "Oo. I thought it would be better this time when I knew what was coming."**

**"Side-along apparating isn't much fun," Ginny admitted.**

**"Hi, Ginny," called her father. "Harry floo-called us to let us know you were coming." The tone of his voice suggested that she should have thought to do so.**

**"We're not staying long, just waiting for Ron to contact us. We're going to visit the site of the next death eater attack."**

**"I'm not sure that's a good idea."**

**"They have to know, Dad."**

**He gave a brief nod. "You're of age. You make your own decisions. Just remember there's people who love you, okay?"**

**"I know, Dad," she assured him. "We'll be fine, honestly. I know, I'll change our hair colour to make us less noticeable. How's that?"**

**"Better than nothing."**

**"Pity we don't have polyjuice, but it's not the sort of thing the school keeps in stock."**

**A quick flick of the wand and the three girls all had mousy brown hair, Evanna's slightly darker than the other two.**

**Mrs. Weasley insisted on them have something to eat, of course. They hurried slightly and even then hardly had time to finish before Ron appeared in the fireplace.**

**"OK, Ginny, what's this all about?" Unbelievably, at least to Ginny, he didn't even seem to notice their hair.**

**"The next death eater attack, once you've made sure the death eaters have gone, I want to take Bonnie and Evanna to see it."**

**"Why?"**

**"They need to know, Ron."**

**"I don't see why. But okay. We just got word of one. I'm going there now. I'll check out it's safe and be back for you."**

**He was back in only a few minutes and told Ginny the apparation coordinates. Evanna went with Ron and Bonnie with Ginny.**

**The scene was a normal housing estate, nothing to show there was anything wrong, except that the front door was hanging open.**

**"Hurry," said Ron. "The muggles will be here any minute. This way." He led them into the dining room. "They'd obviously been eating dinner."**

**Near the door, as if he'd gone to see what was happening, was the dead body of a man. A woman, presumably his wife, was collapsed on the table. A little girl of about three had fallen from a chair and her lifeless eyes stared upwards at them. But worst of all, it seemed to Ginny, was a small baby, still in his high chair, leaned over sideways, dead.**

**The three girls looked on, Ginny, to her own surprise, almost as shocked as the other two. Evanna put a hand out to touch the baby. It was still warm. She pulled her hand back as if she'd been burned.**

**"Ginny!" Ron said for the third time, as she hadn't heard him the first two times. "We need to go, NOW." Seeing her emotional state, he quickly added. "You can't apparate like that. You take my hand. These two aurors will take you two girls."**

**They apparated directly back to Hogwarts' gates. Ron left them, saying, "I've got to go back to Harry to let him know you're okay. You'll be alright from here?" Ginny nodded and the three girls walked a little unsteadily back to Hogwarts. None of them said anything.**

**They were met by Professor McGonagall, who looked angry at first, but seeing their shocked faces, said nothing, but instead led them to the hospital wing.**

**When they were settled, she asked Ginny, "I want an explanation."**

**"They needed to know what we are dealing with," she said simply. "There are attacks like that every night as you know. That's why you let us do that display earlier, to shock some of the students into taking defence seriously."**

**"That much I already know," said the professor, but in a softer tone of voice.**

**"Bonnie and Evanna were cross with Harry for hurting me. I knew they wouldn't understand why we did that display, so I had to show them."**

**"I think Harry hurt himself more than you this evening. Madam Pomfrey tells me he wouldn't let her near all his burns until she'd fixed your leg."**

**"I know," said Ginny. "If I'd been myself, I'd have been furious with him, trying to protect me when he was worse than me."**

**"He loves you, Ginny. Don't be cross with him for that."**

**Ginny looked up at Professor McGonagall to see a strange look in her face, but a moment later it was gone. She stood up. "Let Madam Pomfrey check you out, then bed all three of you."**

**"Yes, Professor."**

**The next morning Bonnie said, "When I see something like the death eater attack last night, I don't want anything to do with wizards or witches, then I see the professor, so obviously concerned about all of us."**

**"Just like in your world. There are some bad people, but most are good," said Ginny.**

**"I still don't see how Harry could do that to you last night. I thought it was illegal or something anyway."**

**"Normally it would be. But we'd agreed beforehand, we'd use any curse that wasn't permanent. You've seen them messing around in D.A. Faking it wasn't enough. They had to see what a real battle is like. I hope I never get under that curse again though," she said with a grimace.**

**"What's it like?"**

**"Hard to explain. It feels like a thousand knives cutting you, then again it's more like burning, but inside as well as out, as if every cell was exploding. I can't imagine how Hermione took it for so long."**

**"You should have seen Harry's face after he'd won," said Evanna. "He looked awful. He was so worried about you."**

**Ginny smiled. "He needn't have worried. That curse has no real after effects, not for a short time like that anyway. Hermione still has nightmares sometimes, but she was tortured for quite a while. Of course, a long time under it and you go mad."**

**"Like Neville's parents," said Evanna.**

**"Yeah," Ginny said heavily. "I never understood why before. But after a few seconds of that, I can understand how it would drive you mad. Oh, well, let's get down to breakfast."**

**When they entered the hall, it seemed like half the school wanted to know that Ginny was okay.**

**Bonnie giggled, "I think Harry just lost his halo." Quite a few of the girls had expressed indignation at Harry's use of the cruciatus.**

**Ginny laughed. "About time. But I guess I'll have to say something tonight."**

**"Tonight?"**

**"D.A. meeting."**

**So many wanted to attend the D.A. meeting that night that it had to be moved to the great hall. As usual Terry introduced it and handed over to Ginny.**

**"I want you all to know that Harry did nothing wrong last night. We'd agreed to use ANY non permanent curse, including two of the three unforgivables. You need to know what a real battle is like. Death eaters don't play with tickling curses. They try to kill you. The only thing missing from last night was that in a real battle you'll probably have friends fighting and even being killed around you. We couldn't find any volunteers for dying though," she added in a feeble attempt at a joke.**

**Ginny's joke fell flat. "Now I'm going to ask Bonnie and Evanna to describe what they saw last night. I took them to the site of a death eater attack, just after it had happened."**

**Bonnie and Evanna told the others everything they'd seen. Although she'd been there at the time, even Ginny winced as Evanna told them about the baby still being warm when she had touched his cheek.**

**"That's what we're facing," finished Ginny. "That's why you need to be ready."**

**The casual atmosphere of the school changed after that. There was still laughing and joking, even pranking, and despite Professor McGonagall's warning, Bonnie and Evanna weren't exempt, but behind the laughter there was a seriousness there hadn't been before. Teachers reported that students who hadn't applied themselves to lessons were mostly now doing so, as if every lesson could be vital.**

**"I'm sorry, professor," said Ginny after one lesson. "I seem to have ruined Hogwarts."**

**"No, Ginny," smiled the professor. "You made them realise that they can't pretend it's not all happening again. If the truth has made us all sadder and wiser, it's not a bad thing."**

**"Will it ever be over?" Ginny sighed.**

**"I think so, but in one way, no. We'll always have to be on the alert for those who want to turn our magical life into something evil."**

**"You sound like old Moody. Constant vigilance. He said it every time he came to the Burrow."**

**"And it's as true now as it was then."**

**"Do you think it'll be as bad as before?"**

**"No. I don't sense the same evil power as we all did when Voldemort was alive. I think it's some left-over death eaters having a last fling."**

**"But why?"**

**"That is what your brother and we all want to know," the professor admitted. "Especially as there have been no more accidents during filming since Bonnie came here."**

**"We're putting you all in danger, bringing Bonnie here, aren't we?" said Ginny, uncomfortably aware that Bonnie was close enough to hear.**

**"Now listen here, Ginny, and you Bonnie. You too, Evanna. Albus Dumbledore promised that there would always be help here for anyone who asks for it. I am not going back on his word. This is more than just a place for education. It is a refuge. The founders built it like a fortress. I sometimes wonder if they knew that it would need to be a fortress one day. I think they must have done. If that's so, then we are simply doing as we were always meant to do. So don't even THINK about taking Bonnie away to protect us."**

**The professor turned to Bonnie. "Apart from not wanting you dead, Bonnie, we don't know why the death eaters seem to want you dead. But if it is as important to them as it seems to be, then it is important to us to make sure you stay alive."**

**"Thank you, Professor," said Bonnie quietly.**

**Not long after that it was time for Evanna to return to filming and play Luna again.**

**Both Bonnie and Ginny were worried about Evanna going back alone. Harry promised to meet them in Hogsmead for a drink before apparating with Evanna back to her home, so she could travel as normal to the studios.**

**Bonnie was quite tearful at seeing her friend go back. "You will be careful won't you?"**

**"I'm sure Harry will look after her," said Ginny.**

**"Actually, no," said Harry. "Ron wants me investigating somewhere else."**

**"You can't leave Evanna without protection," insisted Ginny crossly.**

**Harry smiled. "Don't worry. Her protection will be here any minute. Hermione suggested to Ron that it would be better to send a girl, so she could stay in the same room with her. She'll be borrowing my cloak so nobody will see her though."**

**"Who are you sending?"**

**"Wait and see," said Harry, infuriatingly. "Hmm, she's late."**

**It was nearly ten minutes later that green flames shot out of the fireplace, followed by a rather sooty girl.**

**The girl coughed and said, "I always use too much floo powder."**

**Ginny squealed and ran to hug her sooty friend. "Luna!" Then she realised how sooty Luna was, she quickly cast a spell to remove the soot.**

**"I always forget that spell," mused Luna.**

**"You're Luna?" said Evanna.**

**"Yes. Or are you Luna? I forget sometimes."**

**"Don't worry," Ginny assured Evanna. "She's teasing."**

**"I don't mean any offence," said Bonnie, "but can you really protect Evanna?"**

**Ginny laughed. "Luna may seem loony, sorry Luna, but you haven't seen her fight. She's what Hermione calls 'off the wall'. She thinks of spells nobody else would. By the time her opponent figures out what's happening, Luna's won. In the old D.A., she was the only person who could beat me, not that she beat me every time, but nobody else could beat me at all, once Harry left."**

**Both Bonnie and Evanna looked relieved.**

**"Don't worry, Bonnie," said Harry. "Your friend's in safe hands."**

**"Of course," added Ginny, "after a few months with Luna, Evanna'll probably want to go off chasing mythical creatures with her, but at least Luna'll keep her alive."**

**Even Luna laughed at that one.**

**"I thought I heard you were off in Africa or somewhere?" asked Ginny.**

**"South America. But when Harry asked me to help, how could I say no? He was my first friend, you know."**

**"Remember Evanna," said Bonnie seriously, "you can't tell anyone about all this."**

**"That's alright," said Luna, "I'll hex her if she tries."**

**Evanna glanced at Luna for a second, then, seeing Ginny's grin, realised that Luna was joking. "Who'd believe me if I did?" she asked. "They'd think I really was loony Luna."**

**For a second there was silence, Evanna shocked at what she'd just said and the other girls wondering how Luna would react to that use of her old hurtful nickname, but when Luna burst out laughing, the others joined in.**

**"You know," she said with a grin, "Since the battle, nobody's dared call me that."**

**"Probably something to do with the number of death-eaters you dispatched," said Ginny.**

**When Harry, Luna and Evanna had apparated away, Ginny said sadly, "Luna was right, you know. Harry was her first real friend. She lived near us after her mother died and she was in my year, but nobody really tried to make friends with her. She was a bit weird, well, a lot weird, like her father, and I guess everyone just teased her and played tricks on her."**

**"I guess if you stand out at any school, you get picked on," said Bonnie.**

**"Yeah," sighed Ginny. "Once I got to know how nice she was, I felt guilty that I'd never bothered to make friends before. She once said the D.A. were her first and only friends at Hogwarts. It's just sad it was like that. She'd never hurt anyone and she's as loyal as you can get."**

**Bonnie grinned. "Well she's as dreamy sounding as Evanna, so perhaps they'll get on well."**

**"I hope so. She is dreamy, but she takes her responsibilities seriously. She'd die before she'd let anything happen to Evanna."**

**"You seem a bit off. Is something wrong?"**

**"No," said Ginny. "Not really. I just feel like all the things are happening out there, and I'm hiding away in Hogwarts, AGAIN."**

**After thinking for a few moments, Bonnie spoke in an uncertain voice. "You could leave me at Hogwarts if you want," she offered. "I'm sure I'd be safe."**

**Knowing how much that offer cost Bonnie, Ginny smiled, and squeezed her friend's hand. "Ron would kill me, if Harry didn't murder me first. And if they didn't, my other brothers would never let me hear the end of it. Come on. Let's get back to Hogwarts before McGonagall sends out search parties."**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ginny and the muggles, chapter seven. **

**Author's note:- I STILL don't have a BETA and one would be welcome. (I probably don't need help with Britishisms as I am English.)**

**RECAP**

**Things have been quiet on the film set for Harry Potter since Bonnie had been seriously injured in an explosion but more muggles have been killed in death eater attacks. Evanna has returned to the film set with Luna to guard her. Ginny and Bonnie are still safely hidden at Hogwarts.**

**Ginny couldn't help noticing that Bonnie became more and more depressed after Evanna had left. Nothing she or the others could do seemed to snap her out of it.**

**Finally Professor McGonagall was so worried that she had Madam Pomfrey look at her.**

**"It's simple," she pronounced to a worried looking professor and Ginny later that day. "She's homesick. She worrying about her family, and missing them. She's missing her muggle friends, she's stuck here, the only muggle in a school of witches and wizards, where she knows she can never belong and which still scares her if she dares to think about it. Are you surprised she's depressed?"**

**"I never thought," said Ginny. "And Hermione said it was Ron who had the emotional range of a teaspoon."**

**Professor McGonagall smiled. "Don't blame yourself. None of us thought. We're not used to having a muggle here. Why don't I contact Ron and see if we can arrange for her to visit her parents for a while?"**

**Ginny nodded. "Will it be safe?"**

**"Don't say anything to Bonnie yet. Let's see what Ron can arrange."**

**A week later Ginny was feeling seasick. "I wish we could have apparated."**

**"I don't," said Bonnie, with feeling. "But why didn't we?"**

**"We don't know if there are spies in the ministry. You know they can track international apparations. So we're stuck in this thing."**

**"It's not bad for a ferry."**

**"I just wish it didn't take all night. At least once we're on the other side, a dutch auror will meet us and take us to your parents."**

**The two girls were settling down to try to sleep when they heard a loud crack.**

**A woman pointed a wand at Bonnie. As they heard the word, "Spectumsempra!", Ginny dived at the attacker. As the attacker apparated away, the spell caught Ginny full in the chest. Immediately, blood poured from her.**

**Harry was already coming in the door. "I was outside," he began to explain, then, seeing Ginny, he picked her up. "I'm apparating you to hospital."**

**"No," said Ginny weakly. "You can't leave Bonnie."**

**Harry looked at Bonnie and at the badly bleeding girl in his arms, uncertain what to do. "Harry, promise me," said Ginny, in a slightly stronger voice. "Look after her."**

**Another auror came running in. "Harry, take Ginny. I'll stay with Bonnie."**

**Harry shook his head. "You take Ginny. Hurry. I'll follow with Bonnie once the ferry docks."**

**The auror carefully took Ginny from Harry and they both disappeared.**

**"You could have gone with her," said Bonnie.**

**"No," said Harry. "I couldn't. She was right."**

**The rest of the night Harry was pacing up and down with worry. Bonnie wasn't much better.**

**The moment they were off the ferry, a man came running up to them. "Harry?"**

**"Yes?"**

**"She's okay. Here are the apparation coordinates. I'll meet you there."**

**Harry and Bonnie disappeared and appeared at the edge of the field. The man appeared a few yards away. "You can't apparate into the hospital, we've just put wards around it to protect her. Follow me."**

**"Okay."**

**A few minutes later they were outside Ginny's room. The nurse stopped Harry bursting in. "Just you. She needs calm. She lost a lot of blood. She's very weak."**

**Harry took a deep breath and nodded. She let him pass.**

**Ginny was never the most tanned of girls, but the sight that faced them now made Harry gasp.**

**"I look a sight, don't I?" said Ginny in a voice which he could barely hear.**

**"I thought I'd lost you," Harry admitted.**

**Ginny gave a weak smile. "You'll never lose me. You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not."**

**"You're so pale."**

**"I know. One of the junior healers saw me sleeping, and I was breathing so faintly that when she saw my colour, she panicked and thought I'd died. She woke me up. You should have seen her face when I spoke. It was really funny." Harry could barely hear the last part as Ginny fought a losing battle against going back to sleep.**

**He sat beside Ginny as she drifted back to sleep. When she woke up, she said, "Where's Bonnie?"**

**"Oh. Still outside. They wouldn't let us both in."**

**"You left her outside all this time? Let her see I'm okay, then take her to her family. I'm gonna be alright."**

**Bonnie's face was also pale when she entered the room. "Ginny. You saved my life..." she began, but Ginny waved her to silence.**

**"Harry's going to take you to your family now," she said, in the strongest voice she could find. "I'll join you in a day or two. Go now."**

**For once, Ginny was wrong. She wasn't well enough to leave the hospital for almost a week. She was taken to meet Harry and Bonnie in the boarding area for the ferry. For the trip back, the Dutch aurors had insisted on sending a team of four to keep them safe until the two girls were back in England. Harry and the two girls had taken polyjuice potion provided by the Dutch ministry.**

**Finally, in their cabin, the two girls had a chance to talk. "So how were your parents?"**

**"Fine. Really please to see me. They'd been worried. I was stupid though. I told them how you saved my life. That really freaked them out until Harry assured them that he would make sure that nobody had a chance to do it again."**

**"What? Save your life?" asked Ginny lightly.**

**Bonnie grimaced. "Attack me, silly." She stopped for a moment. "I never got a chance to thank you."**

**"It's okay."**

**"It's not okay. You nearly died because of me."**

**"Look at it this way. You were only attacked because you're playing me. So if anything it's my fault."**

**Bonnie looked at her as if she were crazy. "Is that Ginny logic?"**

**"No, not really," giggled Ginny. "If anything it's more like Harry logic. That's how he works out that everything is his fault."**

**Ginny still had to sleep a lot, and later, when Ginny was sleeping, Bonnie admitted to Harry, "I still feel bad. Ginny nearly died. For me."**

**"I know how you feel. A lot of people did die for me. There's still hardly a day that I don't think about them."**

**"But they died because you had a job only you could do."**

**"So do you."**

**"What job?"**

**"We don't know yet. But if they are trying so hard to kill you, it must be important."**

**"I suppose."**

**"We still don't know how they found you both. We're guessing someone spotted you at the port or maybe at the station in London before you got on the train. That's why we're disguised this time. We're pretty sure that there weren't any leaks. Only a few of us knew you were going."**

**"Will my parents be safe?"**

**"Yeah. The Dutch aurors were going to move them again the moment you left."**

**"How did you cope?"**

**"With what?"**

**"All this, the fear, the pressure, worrying about your friends..."**

**Harry smiled. "I had Hermione and Ron. They wouldn't let me dwell on things, especially Hermione. It was concentrate on the job, all the time, worse than when we were in school."**

**"You miss them, don't you?"**

**"A bit," he admitted, then as she looked at him, "Okay, a lot. I still see Ron a lot, and Hermione now and again, but they've got their own lives now."**

**"And you've got Ginny."**

**Harry brightened up at that thought.**

**Mrs Weasley insisted that Ginny rest for a few days at the Burrow. Ginny had argued that she'd been on bed rest for days and more rest was the last thing she needed, but she found that her mother was right. She was still short on energy and tired easily.**

**By the time they finally got to Hogwarts, however, she was feeling well enough to study, which was just as well, as Professor McGonagall pointed out, as it was coming up to her all-important NEWTS.**

**The D.A meetings were reduced to once a week as all of the older students had NEWTS as well, but both Terry and Ginny were pleased with the progress they were making.**

**Although the filming had gone smoothly following Bonnie's departure, all the delays in the early parts of the film meant that they were still behind schedule.**

**Bonnie stayed with Ginny at the Burrow for the summer and couldn't help noticing that Ginny was getting restless, stuck there, as she put it when her mother couldn't hear her, with nothing to do.**

**The only thing which cheered her up was the occasional report of a Hogwarts student holding up a death-eater attack long enough for the aurors to arrive.**

**"Looks like all your work was worth it," said Bonnie after Harry had told them about yet another thwarted attack.**

**"And not a single student killed," pointed out Harry, then he admitted, "a few injured, but what do you expect? These are experienced death eaters."**

**Finally it was time for Bonnie to reappear at the set, and of course, Ginny went with her. **

**"Ginny, you manage far better here than I did at Hogwarts at first. How did you know so much about living as a muggle?"**

**Ginny laughed. "I shared a room with Hermione enough times. She decided I ought to know. I used to get annoyed with her lecturing me all the time, we all did. It was her idea to start the D.A., you know?" She gave a laugh, "Of course you did, it was in the book."**

**Harry apparated to their room most days to see if they'd learned anything.**

**In spite of Luna's nosing around the sets and offices with the invisibility cloak, it was Evanna who finally provided them with a breakthrough.**

**Bonnie and Ginny were filming, so Luna took Evanna straight to the Burrow to meet with Ron and Harry. Hermione had come with Ron.**

**"So," said Ron to Luna, "Tell."**

**"Evanna?" said Luna.**

**"I overheard a couple of the techs talking. They are arranging to film an extra scene on location."**

**"What's strange about that?" asked Hermione.**

**"None of the cast are going. None of us."**

**"How can they film without any of you? It's crazy," said Hermione.**

**"Yeah. That's what the techs were saying. They can't understand it either."**

**"Do you know where it's being filmed?" asked Ron.**

**"No, but I know when. It's next week sometime."**

**"I'm going to tell Ginny," said Harry. "You two coming?"**

**"No thanks," said Evanna, "I'm not needed again for a few days, so I'll go home."**

**"In that case," said Luna, "I'll give Harry back his cloak and I'll go and visit my dad. It's been a while since I've seen him."**

**"Thanks for being with me," said Evanna seriously. "you're a good friend."**

**Luna smiled. "Thanks. You too. See you in a few days."**

**And after that exchange, Harry apparated away.**

**As soon as he returned from the Burrow, Harry walked into the room Ginny was sharing with Bonnie and Evanna to tell them what the aurors had discovered.**

**Uncharacteristically slow to react, he only saw a flash and instantly he couldn't move, bound by the bodybind curse. "Umbridge," he spat as she took his wand from him.**

**"Yes. At last," she said. "So you finally found out what we've been doing, but you still didn't know who was behind it?"**

**"You're wrong. Ron guessed," Harry bluffed. "And now he has proof. It's over, Umbridge. Even if you kill me, it's over."**

**She laughed. "No, it's not over. It's far from over. Once we get Bonnie out of the way, the producers have the perfect excuse for changing the ending. Without Ginny to inspire poor little Harry, you'll never survive the final battle."**

**"The producers are under the imperious of course."**

**"Of course. And Voldemort will win this time."**

**"But it's only a film. Why bother? You're crazy."**

**"No," she continued, in her high-pitched lecturing tone of voice, but barely able to contain her excitement. "So you DON'T know what we're doing. I've already filmed the new ending, revealing our true existence and declaring war on the muggles."**

**"You are crazy. They won't believe you anyway."**

**"Why do you think I've organised all these death eater attacks? You think your little army could stop them for long? The muggles'll believe. And they'll fight back. They won't have any choice. And finally the wizarding world will be forced to fight, to defeat them, to conquer them. We'll take the place we should have had."**

**"You were behind taking our memories all along? Giving Rowling the stories?"**

**"Yes," she screeched. "I couldn't be sure that Voldemort would defeat you, so I planned it all along. It was easy to put the stories in her head," she laughed. **

**"The aurors will still stop you. Even if you kill me, Ron's on to you now."**

**She laughed. "On to me so much so that you didn't even know what I was doing. And, you forget. I know everything you did. I know where you placed the Elder wand after the battle. When I kill you, I will be it's mistress. And nobody will ever defeat me."**

**Harry struggled to move, but couldn't move an inch. "I'll get you if it's the last thing I do," he threatened, knowing it was an empty threat.**

**Umbridge waved her wand at him again. "Silencio! Someone's coming. I'll soon get rid of them."**

**Harry desperately tried to shout, to warn whoever it was, but he couldn't even manage a whisper.**

**"Ginny! How lovely. Come in, my dear. Don't even think of going for your wand, you wouldn't make it. Harry came to see you. That's it. Sit on the bed. Scared? Shame on you. And I thought you were a Gryffindor."**

**After casting a bodybind curse on her as well, Umbridge turned slightly to Harry. "The perfect punishment. You can watch me torture your girlfriend out of her mind before I kill you. And you'll die knowing she's worse than dead. But don't worry, I won't kill her. That way I'll punish her whole blood traitor family, let them visit her in St. Mungo's just like poor little Neville has to visit his mummy and daddy."**

**Her mocking his friend made Harry try even harder to struggle free, but the bodybind curse had him held too tightly.**

**Umbridge turned away from Harry and raised her wand at the immobilised girl and shouted, "Crucio!"**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ginny and the muggles, chapter eight. **

**Author's note. My apologies for changing the rating. I should really have raised it before with the duelling scenes.**

**RECAP**

**Umbridge has captured Harry and is torturing Ginny in front of him before she kills him.**

**As the resulting scream of pain pierced the still evening, only Harry's eyes showed his own pain as he watched, still unable to speak due to the silencio command, unable to turn away because of the bodybind Umbridge had put him in and unable to help.**

**"Crucio!" Umbridge cried again. "Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!" becoming more ecstatic each time.**

**Between the screams the sound dropped to a pitiful whimper. Umbridge paused a little longer. "I wonder how long it'll take to drive her crazy?" she asked Harry. "The Carrows never did really find out when they were in charge at Hogwarts. Do you think it's time for some more?"**

**Harry couldn't keep a pleading look from his eyes, which just made Umbridge laugh again. "Breaktime over," she announced as she pointed her wand once more. Umbridge cast the spell again, this time holding it longer. Harry could hardly stand the awful long scream at that point. He'd had nightmares remembering just hearing Bellatrix torture Hermione, but being forced to watch was worse, far worse. **

**Another pause, and this time there was no whimper when the scream ended, just silence. **

**"That's enough, I think" said Umbridge. "I think it's time to finish this, don't you?"**

**Unable to answer, Harry almost agreed with her. Death would be better than this, for both of them.**

**Umbridge pointed her wand again. "Crucio!" The room filled again with another terrible scream of agony. Umbridge was too excited to notice, but during that long scream was a sharp cracking sound.**

**"Crucio!" This time the word came from behind Umbridge and she was caught totally unawares. "Expelliamus!"**

**"You? But how?"**

**"Silencio!" said Ginny, pointing her wand at Umbridge, then cast a bodybind curse on her before releasing Harry from the curses on him.**

**Seconds later several aurors came running in. Ginny said to the aurors, "Get her to St. Mungo's, fast," pointing at Bonnie's now unconscious form on the floor.**

**A few hours later in St. Mungo's hospital, Harry and Ginny sat beside Bonnie's bed. Bonnie was still unconscious. "She could have just told Umbridge that she wasn't you," Harry muttered. "But she didn't say a thing."**

**Yet another mediwitch came in to check on Bonnie, followed by Evanna. "How is she?" Evanna asked.**

**"How did you get here?" asked Ginny, after hugging her friend.**

**"Ron came and got me. Hermione thought I might be good for Bonnie." Evanna looked at Bonnie and said succinctly, "She looks awful. What happened?"**

**"Didn't Ron tell you?"**

**"No, just that she'd been hurt and was in hospital."**

**"Hurt," said Ginny bitterly. "The bitch tortured her."**

**Evanna gasped, "Who?"**

**"Umbridge," then in a quieter tone of voice. "She thought she was me."**

**Evanna understood. "She was trying to get at Harry," she said, then seeing a look of pain on Harry's face and annoyance on Ginny's, she added, "and you two are blaming yourselves for something else that wasn't your fault."**

**"I couldn't do anything," said Harry miserably.**

**They'd not even taken any notice of the mediwitch as she had been pottering around, until she spoke to them. The mediwitch answered, "We've done everything we can. It's up to her now."**

**"She will get better, won't she?" asked Evanna.**

**"She'll either come back to us or she won't. It's worse for her as a muggle. She didn't have any magical protection in her mind at all."**

**A tearful Evanna took the opposite side from Ginny, as they each held one of Bonnie's hands.**

**"That's it," encouraged the mediwitch. "Talk to her. That's the best way to bring her back. Reassure her. Give her a reason to fight."**

**"Will it still be her? Is her mind gone?" asked Ginny bluntly.**

**"It's too early to tell," admitted the mediwitch, "and it may takes days or weeks." She walked out leaving the three of them alone with Bonnie.**

**Evanna looked at Harry. "You need to rest," she said, bluntly.**

**"I'm not leaving," he replied.**

**"You heard the nurse..."**

**"Mediwitch," corrected Ginny automatically.**

**"You heard the mediwitch then. It may take days or weeks. Suppose two of us stay with her at all times. Then we'll be awake enough to talk to her and encourage her."**

**Ginny looked up at her friend with surprise. "You really are like Luna, you know. You come out with common sense when nobody expects it."**

**"Thanks. I think."**

**The two girls agreed that Harry should be the first to rest as he was so tired and stressed out.**

**"I won't sleep," he argued.**

**"Go to the burrow," Ginny ordered. "Mum'll give you something."**

**When Harry didn't move, she added, "Harry, GO. We'll look after her."**

**He still didn't move, so she took his hand. "Come on. I'll take you to a floo."**

**"I can apparate," he argued.**

**"Not a chance. In the state you're in you'd end up in bits. And I'm not much better so I'm not taking you."**

**"I hate floos," he said.**

**"Harry, I love you, you know. Don't ever change."**

**"What have I said now?"**

**Ginny just shook her head an smiled. "Come on. I'll only be a minute, Evanna."**

**"I'm not going anywhere," she replied.**

**Six hours later Harry was back. "How is she?"**

**"No change," replied Evanna. "You'd better get Ginny to a floo. She looks ready to fall asleep."**

**"I'm awake," mumbled Ginny, but she didn't object to Harry walking with her to a fireplace.**

**Hermione came to visit a short while later. Another mediwitch visited while Hermione was there.**

**"You can't expect any change so soon," she warned, when Harry asked her how Bonnie was responding. "You can't even imagine what it's like. Even just watching someone you know suffer it has been known to drive someone mad."**

**"I don't have to imagine," said Hermione forcefully.**

**The mediwitch's eyes opened wide. **

**Hermione nodded.**

**"Who?"**

**"Bellatrix LeStrange."**

**"Oh. Her."**

**"But you're right. It's not surprising she hasn't woken up yet. When I was under it, I wanted to sleep forever, just to make it go away. Even in my nightmares that's all I could think."**

**When the mediwitch had gone, Hermione remembered, "Harry, Ron still needs a full report on what happened. I'll stay with Bonnie and Evanna."**

**Harry nodded, glad of an excuse to get away that didn't make him feel guilty. "Okay. I won't be long."**

**Harry told Ron how he'd been caught off guard by Umbridge and how she'd tortured Bonnie, mistaking her for Ginny, until finally Ginny, hearing the screaming, had apparated into the room and defeated her. He'd already decided not to mention anything about the Elder wand. It was best forgotten. **

**When Ron had had a secretary write down everything, he let the woman go and asked, "You okay, mate?"**

**"Wonderful," Harry answered bitterly. "Yet again, someone suffers because I wasn't quick enough."**

**"You've beaten Umbridge now," Ron pointed out.**

**"Ginny beat her," Harry corrected. "Ron. This isn't part of the report, but when Ginny was releasing me, she forgot to remove the cruciatus curse from Umbridge."**

**"I know. The aurors told me they had to remove it. They won't say anything and I don't think I'll be losing any sleep over it. I spoke to Ginny. I don't think she forgot. She said she was just so angry she wanted her to suffer and die."**

**"I don't blame her. If I could have spoken, believe me I'd have used the killing curse in a moment," he admitted.**

**"I wish you had," Ron admitted. "Now we have to have a trial and it'll be a show trial of course." Harry grimaced.**

**"But apart from that, it's over," sighed Ron. "The producers have now all been released from the imperious. Her plan failed."**

**"And we still have a small army of death eaters killing muggles, and you've no idea who they are. I didn't mean that to sound the way it did," he added. "I know you're all trying your best. But they always seem to slip away."**

**"What's new about that? They're all slimy Slitherings. Slipping is what they do best. But by the way the attacks were organised, we think it's only a few, three or four at most. There were never more than three death eaters in an attack, and if there were several attacks at the same time, it was one death eater in each attack."**

**"Even one left out there is too many."**

**"Without that bitch to plan everything, I bet they'll go into hiding like the cowards they are. From what you say, she'd planned this for years. Even if there's another like Umbridge, it'll take years to set up another plan like this. And we'll be watching and waiting."**

**"Constant vigilance, eh?" said Harry, with just the trace of a smile.**

**"Yeah. I guess old mad-eye knew what he was talking about, didn't he?"**

**Harry didn't answer. Instead, he asked Ron, "Who's the oldest auror alive?"**

**Ron looked surprised. "Why?"**

**"I can't say."**

**"Okay. Oldest working auror, I'll check."**

**"No. Retired."**

**"I don't know. I can find out. Why?"**

**"I can't tell you now. Trust me?"**

**Ron looked at him suspiciously, but nodded. "Let me ask the department secretary." He went out for a few minutes.**

**He returned to say, "Well, there's one in hospital. He's over a hundred. Very weak, dying in fact. He'll be no good for whatever you want, so there's..."**

**"Can he walk?"**

**"Barely. Why?"**

**"Perfect," said Harry. "Can I see him?"**

**"Sure. I can arrange that. You'll have to be quick though. They don't think he'll last long."**

**"How about now?"**

**"Right now?"**

**"Yes," confirmed Harry. "Well, in about an hour. I need to contact Madam Pomfrey first. And I need the area around Bonnie's room totally free of everyone. No aurors, no protection, nobody."**

**Ron looked startled. "I can't do that," he protested.**

**"Ron. This is me. I wouldn't ask something like that if it wasn't important."**

**"Why can't you tell me?"**

**Harry was tempted, but knew he couldn't put this burden on his friend. "I can't," he said. "Not yet. I will. I promise you, as soon as I can. But I need you to do as I say right now."**

**"Okay, mate," Ron agreed. "Just be careful, alright?"**

**After Harry had seen Madam Pomfrey, he met the aged auror alone, then went back to see Bonnie and Evanna. Ginny had come back early, so Hermione had gone. Ginny was crying. The rarity of this event made it impact on Harry even more than it would have done.**

**"What's wrong?"**

**"She's like this because Umbridge thought she was me. You know, when I heard her scream like that, it was so bad..." She paused and shivered at the memory. "It should have been me. What if she never recovers, Harry? Oh," she cried, frustrated, hitting the wall with her hand, "You can't understand."**

**"I can't?" laughed Harry, bitterly. "Remember when your father was in the hospital and I thought I was being possessed? You reminded me you were the one person who knew what being possessed by Voldemort was like?"**

**"So?"**

**"All my life, people have died because of me. My parents, Cedric, Syrius, Mad Eye, not to mention all those who died in the final battle to stop Voldemort getting me."**

**"Sorry, Harry. I didn't think. Is it always this hard?"**

**He nodded, then took a deep breath and asked, "Ginny. Do you trust me?"**

**"Of course I do. Harry? What's this about?"**

**"Drink this potion."**

**"Harry? If you're trying to make me get some sleep..."**

**"I'm not. Just take it."**

**"Then what is it?"**

**"You said you trusted me," he said. There was a slight tone of accusation in his voice which made Ginny wince.**

**Looking into Harry's eyes, Ginny nodded. "All right." She took the potion and drank it down. Almost immediately she began to feel dizzy and sick and weak. Even her eyesight began going hazy and she began to shake. "Harry?" she croaked, genuinely afraid. "What have you done?"**

**"Forgive me, Ginny," said Harry, as he opened the door to let the auror in. "Ginny's the one sitting in that chair," he told him, pointing her out.**

**The auror raised his wand and pointed it at Ginny. Instinctively she reached for her wand, but her reactions had been slowed right down by the potion Harry had given her. The auror, barely able to speak with the tension, croaked, "Expelliamus."**

**Ginny's wand went flying in one direction, the chair went flying and Ginny fell to the floor, landing hard. Evanna screamed. Ginny just look at Harry with a look of confusion and hurt in her eyes.**

**Harry turned away and led the auror away, out of the door, sighing as it slammed shut behind him.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Ginny and the muggles, chapter nine. **

**Author's notes...**

**Well, this short story comes to an end with this chapter (or was intended to). The idea of Evanna recognising Ginny came to me after I saw an interview with Evanna and thought how much like Luna she seemed, hence Ginny's comment in the earlier story (Unexpected letter).**

**Today I saw an interview here Evanna commented that she's more determined that Luna, which was nice as I had Ginny say that near the start of this story. Emma Watson (Hermione) also commented that Evanna just "is Luna", that she couldn't tell the difference between Evanna as Luna on set or off set.**

**I didn't do too much with the real life people in the story as I didn't feel that it was right to do so. Obviously with a story focussing on Ginny, I had to make a bigger role for Bonnie than I would otherwise have preferred.**

**Well, I read another story last week where the author complained that a chapter only had twenty reviews. My whole story hasn't had that many. Ah well...**

**To those of you who have reviewed, I thank you.**

**And now to those who were mystified by Harry's attack on Ginny in the previous chapter, on with the story.**

**RECAP**

**Harry has just helped a retired auror attack Ginny.**

**"Are you going to tell me, why I had to attack her?" the old auror asked Harry weakly.**

**"I'm sorry. It's important you don't know," replied Harry. "Then you can't tell anyone anything." **

**Evanna's shocked scream brought other aurors running. They took the old auror back to his bed as Harry helped Ginny back into the chair.**

**Nearly an hour later, with Ginny recovered from the potion and the spell the auror had cast on her, Ron burst into the room.**

**"We questioned the auror. He said you told him to attack my sister and he doesn't know why. I want answers. Now! Or, saviour of the wizarding world or not, you go in a cell."**

**"I can't tell you yet. I wish I could."**

**"Then, mate, you leave me no choice."**

**To Harry's surprise Ginny shouted, "Ron, no. I'm not hurt." He thought the expression on her face belied that statement, but she went on, "Harry must have had a good reason. I trust him."**

**Choking with emotion, Harry said, "Thanks, Ginny. When I can tell you, I will. I promise."**

**"But you don't trust me, obviously," she said bitterly.**

**"It's not that, honestly. You don't understand."**

**"How can we?" she asked.**

**Harry just shrugged, helplessly.**

**Bonnie finally recovered consciousness two days later. Ginny was totally exhausted, as following the attack by the auror, she had refused to leave Bonnie's side the whole time.**

**When Bonnie was awake enough to talk, Ginny demanded, "Why didn't you say who you were?" **

**"She was going to kill Harry. While she was torturing me, it delayed her. If I'd have said who I was, she might have just killed him."**

**Ginny gasped.**

**"Ginny," said Bonnie seriously. "You saved my life and nearly died. Do you think I was going to let that bitch kill your future husband?"**

**The two girls just looked at each other with understanding.**

**When Ron visited, he explained to Bonnie what Umbridge's plan had been. "She wanted you dead, so she had an excuse to rewrite the script. She'd have probably killed Ginny as well, just to be sure. Her plan might have worked, you know? I can't believe how close we came to being at war again, this time with the muggles."**

**For several weeks, Bonnie was still too weak to go back to the set, partly from lack of sleep due to nightmares. Ginny took her place on set, just for the first few weeks. Only Evanna knew. Between them they made sure that any of Umbridge's script changes were reversed, as the production team was now free from Umbridge's imperious curse.**

**When filming was almost complete, Harry met Hermione once more, this time to ask her something.**

**"Hermione, if Umbridge could effectively rewrite the book, do you know of a spell short of the imperius curse so that we can too?"**

**"Why? What do you want to do?"**

**"I want to put in the memorial service at Hogwarts. It was left out of the book."**

**Hermione thought to herself for a moment that it wouldn't make very good drama, but realised that this was something Harry had to do.**

**"I can do that," she said, then added, "And as well as that, you know, when Princess Diana died, they made a garden in her memory, right in the middle of London. Why don't we do something like that as well? I know they are doing one in Hogwarts, but this would be somewhere everywhere can come."**

**While the muggles were filming the memorial service most of them didn't know they had an audience of witches and wizards scattered in amongst the crowds of extras. **

**"You did well mate, putting this in," said a voice from behind Harry.**

**"Neville. I didn't see you," Harry exclaimed.**

**"Didn't think I'd miss this, did you?" Harry shook his head. "What's this I hear about you not having enough with the D.A.? That you've gone out recruiting muggles to help you now?"**

**Harry couldn't help being amazed that Neville was now confident enough to tease him, but then his attention was drawn back to the service.**

**Harry could barely hold himself together as Maggie Smith, playing Professor McGonagall, read out the names of those who had died. **

**He thought of Lupin and Tonks, who had been such good friends, and of their son, his godson, who he would make sure would never grow up unloved as he had himself. Not that there was much chance of that, he almost laughed, living with as devoted a grandmother as Andromeda, who had lost so much.**

**He thought of Colin Creevey, who had been so annoying when they first met, but had been forced to grow up fast and had fought and died bravely, saving Ginny.**

**Bonnie, playing Ginny, was unable to stop herself crying. For once, Harry thought, the real Ginny wouldn't mind.**

**He looked across to Ginny, knowing she was tearfully thinking again of Fred, and of George, left alone now, if it was possible to be alone in the Weasley family.**

**He left the filming and went straight to Kingsley, offering to pay for the memorial to be built. "I've already bought the land," he explained. "The plot in Diagon Alley, where the shop next to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was destroyed."**

**"Okay, but you aren't paying for the memorial," said Kingsley firmly. "All of us owe something to those who died for our freedom, from both Voldemort wars, including your parents, Syrius, Dumbledore. We owe all of them so much. It should come from all of us. And I've set up a fund to support those who remain, so that none of them will ever be in need."**

**Harry nodded. **

**"I know," said Kingsley understandingly. "It's not enough. Nothing ever can be. Now, to make their sacrifice worthwhile, we have to live, to move on, but at the same time, never forget."**

**Hermione had suggested a memorial of photos of each of them, with a plaque below each photo explaining who they were. Harry thought of his last visit to Teddy, who look so much like a little Remus, but had already mastered turning his hair a shocking pink. Hermione had described him as a living memorial to Tonks and Lupin.**

**The filming finally completed, Bonnie, Evanna and Ginny went to the wrap party together. One of the technicians was trying to get a date with Ginny, which the other two girls found hilarious, much to Ginny's consternation.**

**Kingsley had moved incredibly fast. The memorial was opened the very next evening, though many more exhibits would follow over the next few months, often almost buried under the flowers that would be left there each day. After the official opening ceremony, mercifully short, a short time of silent dedication was broken when fireworks went off all around them, culminating in a giant WWW in the sky.**

**Ginny smiled and thought to herself, "George."**

**A week later Harry had still refused to explain the attack on Ginny, and both she and Ron felt an increasing annoyance. Harry ended up staying away from them to lessen the tension.**

**Finally, almost two weeks after filming had been completed, Harry called Ron. "I just heard from the hospital. That old auror died. I'd like to meet with Kingsley, you and Ginny, if she's still speaking to me."**

**"She will be, mate, whether you deserve it or not. I'll ask her. Where and when?"**

**"As soon as Kingsley can make it. Will the Burrow be okay?"**

**"Is that wise?" asked Ron. "After what you did to Ginny, you're not exactly mum's favourite person right now."**

**"I know. That's why it has to be there. I only want to have to explain once."**

**"Okay. I'll call you back."**

**Two and a half hours later, Harry flooed into the Burrow, to be met by Kingsley and the whole Weasley family. To his surprise, Hermione, Bonnie and Evanna were there as well.**

**"This had better be good," Ginny warned him.**

**"Let him speak," said Mr. Weasley, but Harry knew he was as angry under the surface as Ginny was.**

**"From the stolen memories and the books, you know what I did with the Elder wand," Harry began. "The trouble is, so does everyone else. When Umbridge trapped me and disarmed me, she became mistress of the Elder wand, just as she intended. She planned to go and get it after she'd killed me. Then she'd have been invincible. Like Voldemort, she thought she had to kill me to become it's mistress, but she became it's mistress the moment she disarmed me."**

**Ron's eyes were beginning to show understanding. "When Ginny disarmed her, Ginny became mistress of the Elder wand?" he asked.**

**Harry smiled at his friend. He'd guessed that Ron would cotton on the quickest. "That's right," he said. "Even though she didn't know it. But if the story of what happened got out, somebody would have worked it out. And then Ginny would have been the target for every crazy out there. The only way it could lose it's power, was for it's master or mistress to die a natural death."**

**Ron was smiling with understanding, but he let Harry continue.**

**"So I got you to find an ex-auror who didn't have long to live. I gave a potion to Ginny to slow her reactions so much that he could easily disarm her. He never knew the reason I asked him to attack her. I told him that I couldn't tell him so he couldn't tell anyone else, but really I couldn't risk him knowing that he was now master of the Elder wand. When he died today, a natural death, the Elder wand's power was broken forever."**

**Ginny looked up at Harry, unaccustomed tears in her eyes.**

**"It was hardest, not telling you," he told her. "So hard..."**

**"I'm sorry I began to doubt you," said Ginny quietly.**

**"I didn't mind," Harry replied with a smile. "I knew you'd understand, once I could explain." Then he turned to Bonnie. "Remember I said you had an important job to do? **

**"Yes."**

**"Not only didn't you fulfill Umbridge's plan about the war, you stopped her. If you hadn't protected me by not revealing who you were, I'd be dead and she'd have caught Ginny by surprise when she entered the room and killed her too. And if Ginny hadn't defeated her, she'd still be mistress of the Elder wand and would have forced us into war. Between you two, you stopped a war."**

**Bonnie let out a long breath. "So now it really IS over?" asked Bonnie.**

**"Pretty much," said Ginny. "There'll always be some who wanted what Voldemort wanted. As Moody said, we need constant vigilance, always. There's one good thing though."**

**"What's that?" asked Bonnie.**

**"If between us we stopped a war, at least now I feel a bit more worthy of the saviour of the wizarding world," Ginny laughed.**

**"You always were," said Harry seriously. "The only thing that kept me going was the thought that the world would be safe for you. When I had to let him kill me, I was thinking of you."**

**"You were just thinking of snogging," she accused, still laughing. **

**Even Harry had to laugh at that. "You made sure I would," he retorted.**

**"I told you, on your birthday. I wanted you to remember me."**

**"Get a room you two," laughed George.**

**"We will," promised Ginny firmly and even her mother had to smile.**

**Breaking the silence, Kingsley said, "So it's over. But it's still constant vigilance."**

**"I'll leave that part to you aurors," said Ginny. "I've got other things in mind."**

**Kingsley looked puzzled.**

**Looking at Harry, Ginny said coyly, "Do you think J.K. Rowling would mind if we got head start on the epilogue?"**

**"Probably not, but your mother would kill me, if your brothers didn't first."**

**Everyone laughed. **

**Finally Ginny and Harry were left alone. "Harry, I guess you'll have no problems being an auror now."**

**"No. Ron said I can start when I like."**

**"Good. But do me a favour."**

**"What's that?"**

**"Be careful. I want my future husband home safe and sound."**

**"I haven't actually asked you yet," Harry reminded her.**

**"I know. You're rather like Ron in some ways. A bit slow. You'll get round to it eventually. I've waited all these years, I can wait a little longer. So long as it IS a little," she added.**

**Harry smiled and fumbled in his pocket to bring out a small felt-covered box. Getting down on one knee in front of her, he said. "Ginny. Can I ask you something?"**

**For once in her life, too overcome to speak, Ginny nodded. Finally she whispered, "Yes."**

** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **

**Author's note...**

**As fanfiction searches by character and the main characters are changing, this story will now be continued as a new story, Deatheaters' revenge.**

** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **


	10. NIGHTLOCK

**From Brian Grove **

**Brian at rescueddoggies dot com**

**My apologies for this not being an update but I should let you know what's happening.**

** As most of you know, although I am British, I run a small animal refuge in Argentina in a rented house with about 1000m2 of land. Seven months ago I was warned that the owner had to sell the house and land the refuge is on by 2013 or 2014.**

** A few weeks ago, he informed me that a buyer had unexpectedly turned up already and the sale has gone through. This means that the rental contract will not be renewed and we have to leave by the 8th June THIS YEAR (2012)**

** Finding a place to rent with almost fifty dogs (and two cats) is virtually impossible To do so with very little money (I depend on donations) is even harder.**

** Someone offered me some land, but there is still the mammoth task of building a refuge, plus somewhere for me to live on land which doesn't even have a water supply or electricity at the moment (and forget a phone line or Internet!).**

** Now even that looks like falling through due to possible legal problems with the ownership status of the land.**

** So, in roughly fifty days, I and the animals will be homeless as no other refuge is in a position to take them.**

** After my beloved wife Sheila died, I wanted to follow her. Only the fact that I couldn't abandon the animals who were our family (she couldn't have kids), stopped me. Now, it seems that I will be forced to abandon them anyway, so there will be no reason to continue in a world I've come to hate.**

** Any inspiration for stories has left me. I can barely force myself through the daily routine of feeding the dogs, I spend most of my day (and over half the night) sitting at my computer, reading various stories, if I can concentrate that long, and waiting for the time to run out.**

** Anyone got any Nightlock?**_(For those who are Harry Potter fans but no Hunger Games fans, Nightlock are lethal berries in the first Hunger Games book, and the name is used for lethal poison capsules – suicide pills – in the third Hunger Games book.)_

**I'd like to thank all those who have followed my stories through the years, especially those of you who have taken the time to review.**

** It is still possible that (to coin an old literary phrase) "Something will turn up", but if it doesn't, and the odds are not in my favour in this, this is probably my final post on here.**


End file.
